Jewellery is thought to be one of the oldest forms of art within history, with the presence of rings, bangles and necklaces’ being present in almost all ancient societies. The Western Asiatic during Mesopotamia is home to many interesting and unique jewellery patterns, with gemstones being the desired material for ancient citizens to decorate themselves with. The sophisticated nature of the society can be seen through their jewellery making skills with elaborate patterns and carvings being common find.
Agate has been known to fill veins or cracks in volcanic or altered rock underlain by granitic intrusive masses. Such agate, when cut transversely, exhibits a succession of parallel lines, often of extreme tenuity, giving a banded appearance to the section. Such stone is known as banded agate, riband agate, and striped agate, and is exemplified in these beads.
To discover more on ancient metalwork, please see our relevant blog post: Decorative Metalwork Techniques
