Ancient Roman Green Glass Beaded Necklace

£ 75.00

A fine, restrung Ancient Roman necklace composed of glass beads of different vibrancy and shades of green from lime-green to emerald tones. Each bead is unique in translucency, colour, texture, and shape which creates a mosaic-like impression. Four larger beads, including a large disc bead, have been strung in a drop formation to form a pendant at its centre. Such necklaces testify to the popularity of glass ornaments across the Roman Empire. The necklace is finished with a gold-plated clasp (please be aware the clasp has not been professionally tied).

Date: Circa 1st - 4th Century AD
Condition: Fine condition, the necklace has been restrung. Half-length: 27 cm

SOLD

SKU: SK-133 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, exposed to the surrounding environment over thousands of years, result 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 19.63 g
Dimensions L 47 cm
Culture

Glass

Region