Necklace of large eye beads
€8,400
available
Object number
AR3420B
| Object: |
Necklace made of large ancient eye beads
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| Material: |
Beads made of polychrome opaque glass.
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| Period: |
Beads from the 6th cent. BC to 3rd cent. BC.
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| Description: |
Modernly assembled and threaded necklace made of ancient beads. 42 multicolored so-called eye beads. The style points to a production in the Eastern Mediterranean. The beads are modernly threaded onto a wire and have a gold-coloured metal clasp. The necklace can be worn immediately. These are particularly magnificent eye beads, with some particularly large standing out. |
| 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: |
Approximately 55cm length of the entire chain. The largest bead approx. 2.5cm in diameter. A total of 42 beads forming a very heavy necklace.
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| Condition: |
Very good condition. The ancient beads are usually complete and intact, although minor chips are possible. A few beads with larger chips, at least one bead professionally restored from fragments. The beads are modernly threaded onto a wire and have a gold-coloured metal clasp. The chain can be worn immediately as a necklace.
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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 87. 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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