Group of ancient eye beads
€2,100
available
Object number
AR3420H
| Object: |
Group of ancient eye beads
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| Material: |
Polychrome opaque glass.
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| Period: |
Beads from the 6th cent. BC to 3rd cent. BC.
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| Description: |
Mixed group of 10 multicolored so-called eye beads. The style points to a production in the Eastern Mediterranean. The magnificent beads all have a central drill hole and could in theory be threaded and worn.
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| Background: |
Eye beads were popular in the ancient Mediterranean. Beads of this type are known as eye beads because archaeologists interpret the decorations as a highly stylized face. The circles are the eyes. The beads thus fulfilled a protective function against the "evil eye" (see E. M. Stern, B. Schlick-Nolte, Early Glass of the Ancient World, p. 195).
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| Dimensions: |
9mm to 12mm diameter.
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| Condition: |
Very good condition. One bead made professionally restored from fragments. The other beads are complete and intact, apart from minor chips.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us on the British art market in 2022. Previously in a British private collection. Acquired into it at Christie's London auction 30 April 2008, lot 84. The beads were previously purchased in the 1980ies.
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| References: |
Cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc. no. 10.130.3030. Cf. E. M. Stern, B. Schlick-Nolte, Early Glass of the Ancient World, pp. 198, no. 41. |
| Literature: |
For an overview on ancient and antique beads we recommend L. Sherr Dubin, The History of Beads.
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| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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