In the second half of the 16th century, caskets with an architectural design, which were made of noble materials, such as rock crystal, and were produced at the Venice workshop of Antonio Maria Fontana, were highly appreciated because of their opulence and decorative sophistication.

A gift from the King of Ormuz to Dom Frei Aleixo de Menezes, the Archbishop and Governor of Goa, this casket was later sent in 1610 to Lisbon, to the Convento dos Agostinhos da Graça, where it was used as a tabernacle.