Ancient Roman Dark Blue Glass Beaded Necklace

£75.00

A restrung Ancient Roman necklace composed of circular glass beads of different hues of blue. Each bead is unique in translucency, colour, texture, and shape, creating a wonderful mosaic-like impression. The beads gradually increase in size towards the centre composed of a stack of three larger beads varied in size and shape including; cuboid, octahedron and a spherical bead. The necklace is finished with a silver clasp (please be aware the clasp has not been professionally tied).

 

Date: Circa 1st - 3rd Century AD
Provenance: Ex private UK collection, acquired 1990s.
Condition: Fine condition

SOLD

SKU: LJ-15 Category: Tags: ,

The mass production of glass in Ancient Rome prompted the development of glass jewellery. The ageing process of glass endows Roman glass jewellery with unique qualities. For instance, contaminants manufactured into the glass were exposed to the surrounding environment over thousands of years, resulting in beautiful lustres and speckling, where the glass might formerly have been transparent.

The ancient Romans considered jewellery to be an essential accessory, for it provided a public display of their wealth. Roman jewellery at first followed trends set by the Etruscans, using gold and glass beads, but as the power and spread of the Roman Empire increased, jewellery designs became increasingly elaborate. Different cultural styles from Greece, Egypt, North Africa, and the Orient were all incorporated to reflect Rome’s prosperity as a dominant, conquering city.

To find out more about Roman glass please see our relevant blog posts:Ancient Glass and Collecting Roman Glass.

Weight 15.6 g
Dimensions L 24.5 cm
Culture

Glass

Region