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Details
LOT 0725
Roman Deep Blue Glass and Other Bead Necklace String
1ST CENTURY A.D. AND LATER
19 3/ in. (16.1 grams, 50 cm long).
Assorted old blue glass beads restrung to a Y-shape with a crescentic-shaped pendant. [No Reserve]
Provenance
UK gallery, early 2000s.
Literature
Cf. Boschetti, C., Gratuze, B., Cavalieri, M., Schibile, N., ‘Production or Consumption? Glass Beads from the Roman Villa of Aiano, Tuscany,’ in European Journal of Archaeology, 25 (2)fig.4, nos.6,7,13,10,17,11-12 for similar beads.
Footnotes
The mass production of glass in Ancient Rome prompted the development of glass jewellery of unique qualities. The ancient Romans considered jewellery to be an essential accessory, being a public display of the wealth of high social classes. 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, incorporating elements from different cultural styles.
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