Ancient Roman Light Blue Glass Beaded Necklace

£ 75.00

A fine restrung Ancient Roman light blue glass beaded necklace. The body of the necklace is comprised of alternating spherical, tubular and discoid beads displaying vibrant translucency and striations. Larger beads which display varying shapes with similar striking striations and translucency are dispersed between the smaller beads. A pendant is formed from a stack of four larger beads of which, the top two are of spherical shape, moving down towards an elongated teardrop-shaped bead. The last bead is in the form of a triangle, slightly chipped along the edges due to age, with a loop for attachment at the top, through which the necklace is threaded. All display cool tones of turquoise and cerulean with pitting, striations and encrustation. The piece has been finished with a modern gold-plated clasp. Please note that the clasp has not been professionally tied.

Date: Circa 1st-3rd Century AD
Condition: Very good. Minor wear and earthy encrustations consistent with age

SOLD

SKU: CFF-156 Category: Tag:

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 post: Ancient Glass

Weight 8.59 g
Dimensions L 26.5 cm
Culture

Glass

Region

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