Roman Boat Shaped Earrings with Granules and Garnet

$631.48

An extremely fine Ancient Roman matching pair of gold hollow-formed gold boat-shaped earrings, each embellished by a vertical collar of gold granules and a cabochon garnet inset to the bezel. The earrings feature a type of closure which made removal extremely difficult, hence the earrings would have been permanently worn by the owner. Such earrings, also known as navicella-type, were made by beating sheet gold over a core made of paste, which would have possibly been used to straighten the jewel since it was made of extremely thin gold. The earrings are modelled using high karat gold, ancient gold typically being around 22-24 karat.

Date: Circa 1st-3rd century AD
Condition: Extremely fine. These earrings are suitable for modern wear with modern hook or stud applied. Please consult a professional jeweller for any alterations.

SOLD

SKU: AH-703 Category: Tag:

As in many ancient societies, jewellery was an important social marker used to demonstrate wealth. Following the spread of the Roman Empire, Roman jewellery became more and more elaborate in the designs and in the materials used, such as precious and semi-precious gemstones.  Boat-shaped earrings were a popular style in the Easter part of the Roman Empire and across Near Easter civilisations. Similar boat shaped earrings, featuring either a plane design or a more elaborate one, have been excavated from Nabataean graves.

Weight 1.2 g
Dimensions L 1.5 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

Semi-Precious Stones

Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

You may also like…