Ancient Near East, Byzantium, ca. 6th to 10th century CE. A stunning pair of gold hoop earrings with luxurious ornamentations - the gold of a high quality (86% gold, equivalent to 20K+) and each one presenting gemstone danglers - to our eyes a central large emerald flanked by two ruby or garnet danglers followed by a pair of lustrous pearls. The earrings are indeed ancient but set to modern french hooks to be wearable. Size: 2.125" L (5.4 cm) without modern ear wires; emeralds measure .5" L x .5" W at widest (1.3 cm x 1.3 cm); hoops measure 1.125" in diameter (2.9 cm); total weight: 22 grams; precious metal quality: 86% gold, equivalent to 20K+
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. 29, p. 10, discussion p. 3). 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."
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. 26, p. 10, discussion p. 3); ex-Madame Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, acquired in the 1960s
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#146276
Condition
Earrings are ancient. Set with modern French hooks to be wearable. Minute chips to stones. Slight denting to hoops. Hoops no longer have fasteners but have modern ear wires to be wearable.