Ancient Greece, Hellenistic, ca. 4th to 3rd century BCE. An exquisite twisted gold bracelet with finely delineated lion head finials. The gold is quite pure - 94% gold or equivalent to 22K+. This piece was recently exhibited in "Dressed to Kill in Love and War: Splendor in the Ancient World" (see below). Curator Sarah E. Cox presented it 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: 1.75" in diameter (4.4 cm); weight: 4.5 grams; gold quality: 94%, equivalent to 22K+
Lions are often the stars of ancient Greek stories, such as Herakles' defeat of the Nemean lion. This said, it is probable that the creator of this piece saw lions in real life. Aristotle and Herodotus tell us that lions lived in the Balkans and Greece until around the 1st century BCE!
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. 3, 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. 3, p. 8); ex-Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, acquired in the 1960s
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#146262
Condition
Minor indentations to the lion head finials that are difficult to detect without magnification. Minute losses to edges of finials that meet the twisted bangle. Otherwise near choice and gold has developed a warm lustrous patina throughout.