Ancient Greece, Hellenistic, ca. 3rd to 1st century BCE. Oh my goodness! This piece is quite a head turner! An outstanding example of ancient Greek goldwork, this 20K+ gold strap end of a diadem features four bands of skillfully delineated repeating s-shaped spiral motifs with granules punctuating both ends - each row framed by granulated borders. Note that the right end is curved, while the left side has a straight edge and is marked by a row of two vertically oriented superimposed spiral motifs. Just imagine how this sumptuous item would have looked when worn in a woman's hair, gleaming in the natural light of the sun or the warm glow of an oil lamp. Size: 4.5" W x .95" H (11.4 cm x 2.4 cm); 1.7" H (4.3 cm) on included custom stand. Weight: 13.32 grams.
The diadem is one of the oldest and most characteristic articles of women's jewelry that originated in the Greek world. While wreaths and coronets were worn by men as signs of social or political status, and as funerary objects, diadem were worn by women as luxurious decorative ornaments. Numerous examples in gold have been found in necropolises in southern Italy, Macedonia, and on the Black Sea coast, testifying to the great refinement of Greek jewelry-making during the Hellenistic period, and to the widespread diffusion of decorative motifs throughout the Mediterranean basin.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex Shlomo Moussaieff Collection, 1948 to 2000. Exported with the permit of the Israeli Antiquities Authority.
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#155719
Condition
Slight bending to form and small losses from edges, mainly around the curved end. Beautiful preservation of details. Very light deposits in lower profile areas.