Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A gorgeous bracelet of an attractive and wearable form that boasts 22 carinated garnet beads. Each garnet bead bears a central suspension hole that is fed through with a double-looped wire, formed from 90% gold (equivalent to 21K+), that links up with the neighboring loops to form a flexible yet sturdy accessory. Attached to one end is a tubular shepherd's hook with a petite curled tip that fits nicely within the loop terminal on the opposite end. Fine patina covers all the gold components and enables the garnets to stand out in the composition. Size (bracelet): 8.125" L (20.6 cm); (largest stone): 0.2" W (0.5 cm); quality of gold: 90% (equivalent to 21K+); total weight: 6.4 grams.
The women of the Roman Empire donned a wide assortment of jewelry. We know this to be true, because elite Roman women were laid to rest in sarcophagi painted with encaustic funerary portraits that depicted the deceased as youthful beauties dressed in refined clothing and bejeweled in elaborate necklaces and earrings. In addition, the sculpted stone portraits of the caravan city of Palmyra in Syria show the deceased donning jewelry, no doubt indicating their wealth and high social status for all eternity.
Provenance: ex-Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, collected in the 1960s
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#155524
Condition
Wearable as shown, and both garnets and gold are ancient. Likely cleaned in modern times. Very light encrustations on some garnets and gold components, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina throughout.