Ancient Greek Pendant with Dolphins

$700.57

An extremely fine example of Greek Hellenistic goldsmith art, a beautiful high karat gold pendant, composed of an oval garnet bead, topped by a turquoise coloured faience bead. The pendant is further enriched by two dolphins, modelled in a thin sheet of gold, one at each side of the suspension loop. Such pendant has been adapted from an earring in ancient times, with the suspension loop modelled from ancient gold.

Date: 2nd-1st Century BC
Condition: Fine. Suitable for modern wear with care.

SOLD

SKU: FP-202 Category: Tag:

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 decease as part of his or her funerary outfit. Jewellery might have been enriched by precious and semi-precious stones, such as garnet, 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.

To discover more about gemstones in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: The History and Mythology of Jewellery in Antiquity.

Weight 2 g
Dimensions L 3.3 cm
Culture

Metal

Faience

Semi-Precious Stones

Region