Greece, ca. 5th century BCE. A fabulous pair of matching silver bracelets with snake head terminals - the bangles of a tubular form, the serpentine heads presenting fearsome visages with wide open eyes and tooth-filled mouths. These bracelets were recently exhibited in "Dressed to Kill in Love and War: Splendor in the Ancient World" (see below). Curator Sarah E. Cox presented them in the "Dressed to Impress" section of this exhibition. According to Cox, "All classes of women in the ancient world wore jewelry, which was considered both as adornment and as visible evidence of wealth. Many of the surviving pieces, particularly earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, were preserved because they were buried with the deceased. Others were accidentally lost in baths or toilets, or due to the vicissitudes of nature and war." Size: 2.375" in diameter (6 cm); weight: 215 grams; silver quality: 215 grams
Exhibited and published in catalogue for "Dressed to Kill in Love and War: Splendor in the Ancient World" (February 1 - March 31, 2019 - Academy Museum, Easton, Maryland, USA, fig. 8, p. 8).
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; Exhibited and published in catalogue for "Dressed to Kill in Love and War: Splendor in the Ancient World" (February 1 - March 31, 2019 - Academy Museum, Easton, Maryland, USA, fig. 8, p. 8); ex-Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, acquired in the 1960s
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#146183
Condition
Expected surface wear commensurate with age. This said, the forms and serpentine terminals are very well preserved. In addition, the silver has developed a nice age patina throughout.