Byzantium, ca. 4th to 7th century CE. A breathtaking Byzantine gold and emerald green glass necklace. Comprised of 15 openwork gold medallion-like beads of oval forms housing curvilinear motifs (the gold of very high quality - 96% or equivalent to 23K+) alternating with 12 diamond-shaped glass beads of emerald green hues and gold findings. This necklace was 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 Dr. 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: 16" L (40.6 cm); gold beads measure .5" L (1.3 cm); largest glass beads measure .375" L (1 cm); total weight: 9.8 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. 23, p. 9, discussed on p. 3).
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. 42, p. 3 & 9); ex-Madame Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, acquired in the 1960s
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#146274
Condition
Minute losses to one of the diamond-shaped glass beads (one can see the gold pin threaded through it). Otherwise, just slight age wear to the beads. Beautiful and wearable.