At the end of the 15th century,Portugal and Spain entered a period of Great Discoveries.The eastern colonies of Portugal in India and in Ceylon,and the Spanish colonies in the Philippines provided an abundance of ivory, and theirs colonizers soon discovered  the excellent craftsmanship of the locals who worked with the medium.They soon started asking these artists to create religious objects based on the European etchings and sculptures, in order not only to bring religion to the colonies, but also to commercialize them.

A large quantity  of these religious objects was created in the 16th century , but many more in the 17th and 18th centuries. Each of great artistic value, and exotic characteristics , would become part of many museums and private collections today.