As in many ancient societies, jewellery was an important social marker used to demonstrate wealth and richness. In Ancient Greek culture jewellery was worn in everyday life but was also buried with the deceased as part of his or her funerary outfit. Jewellery might have been enriched by precious and semi-precious stones and decorative motives would have included popular myths, gods, goddesses, and heroes. In Ancient Greek and Roman mythology dolphins were associated with the sea and with the sphere of sensual love, bearing an amatory symbolism. Because of the assonance between the ancient Greek word delphis, δελφίς, meaning dolphin, and the word delphus, δελφύς, meaning womb, dolphins were considered animals sacred to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, fertility and desire.
Ancient Greek Hellenistic Gold and Coral Dolphin Amphora Pendant
£ 650.00
A fine ancient Greek, Hellenistic gold pendant, featuring an amphora-shaped coral bead. The large coral bead forms the centre-point of the pendant and is further embellished by two dolphins, finely modelled in gold. The dolphins act as a non-fixed decorative handle to the amphora and are rendered naturalistically with delicate engravings to indicate the eyes, fins, and tails. There is a suspension loop to the top of the pendant. This beautiful item of jewellery testifies the extreme quality of Greek Hellenistic goldsmith art.
Provenance: Ex Japanese gentleman deceased collection, 1970-2010
Condition: Fine condition, slight encrustation visible to the surface.
SOLD
| Weight | 1.95 g |
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| Dimensions | L 2.3 x W 1.3 cm |
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