Many grand civilizations inhabited the area of Western Asia in Antiquity, and their wealth and prosperity is witnessed by the very sophisticated precious metal crafting of jewellery. Gold would have been hammered down to a thin layer and manipulated into different shapes. Gold, electrum and silver jewellery would have featured gold granules, glass and semi-precious stone inlays and detailed engravings. Fine granulation along with filigree, were at the centre of Near Eastern and Western Asiatic jewellery production and were later adopted by the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. Although pendant earrings, such as this fine example, are common among many great ancient civilisations, the use of gold beads with granulation is typical of near Eastern goldsmith production.
Near Eastern Gold Pendant Earrings
$1,213.44
An exquisite pair of Ancient Near Eastern gold pendant earrings, possibly dating to the Neo-Assyrian period. Each earring features an open-ended spiralled hoop with a gold disc at its terminal. A suspension loop is attached to the base of the hoop, from which a coil of gold wire dangles. Below the coil are two cylindrical gold beads, decorated with an extremely fine old granulation, and two cylindrical turquoise hard hardstone beads. The earring terminates with a globular garnet bead.
Provenance: Ex collection of a deceased Japanese collector, circa 1980-2015.
Condition: Fine condition. Suitable for modern wear through the application of a stud or loop. Please consult a professional jeweller for any alterations.
SOLD
| Weight | 11.59 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | L 7.7 cm |
| Culture | |
| Metal | |
| Semi-Precious Stones | |
| Region |