Elaborate Roman Gold Earrings with Garnets

£ 2,250.00

A pair of ancient Roman gold earrings composed of a central rounded boss and an elaborate hanging pendant. The central disc encases a large red garnet at its centre, with small tri-clustered granulation equally interspersed. The pendant’s main component are four diamond-shaped hollow beads, sandwiched between a dome and a grape-like cluster of spheres. Added granulation has been attached to the dome and as a layer for the diamond beads to sit upon.  A simple s-hook completes the reverse.

Date: Circa 2nd - 5th century AD
Condition: Very fine.

SOLD

SKU: AH-669 Category: Tag:

During The Roman Empire jewellery became quickly a fundamental and essential social display of wealth. Following the spread of the Roman Empire, Roman jewellery became more and more elaborate in the designs and in the materials used. Semi-precious gemstones, such as garnet, were used to enrich and embellish earrings, rings and necklaces. In Ancient Greek and Roman mythology, Hades gave pomegranate seeds to his lover Persephone, as a token of safety, while she was leaving the underworld to join her mother Demeter in the human world. The semi-precious stone garnet, recalling the colour and the shape of the pomegranate seed, became a typical gift exchanged between separated lovers.

To discover more about the meanings of gemstones and semi-precious gemstones in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: The History and Mythology of Gemstones in Ancient Jewellery.

Weight 5.87 g
Dimensions L 5 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

Semi-Precious Stones