Black & White Hellenistic Glass Bead Necklace

Greece, Hellenistic, ca. 2nd to 1st century BCE. A lovely necklace comprised of dozens and dozens of hand-pressed mosaic glass beads (most of which are black and white with one russet red and white and another of a deep blue and white) arranged in an attractive design presenting a double strand with a dangling pendant bead adorning the chest. This resolves to a single strand around the shoulders and neck of the wearer. Size: 28" L (71.1 cm) largest beads (flat trapezoidal forms just above the spherical bead above the dangling pendant measure .5" L x .375" W (1.3 cm x 1 cm)

Glass was considered a luxury item in the ancient world. It was used in everything from furniture inlays to embellishing architectural features, as well as vessels and precious jewelry. Hellenistic glass is thought by many to be among the most beautiful and highly-prized glass produced in antiquity due to the painstaking efforts needed to create such a high-quality product. The techniques used in ancient Greek glass manufacturing stem from the traditions of the Late Bronze Age which enabled glass artisans to create pieces that emulated the appearance of precious and semi-precious stones.

Provenance: private Dunn collection, Coral Springs, Florida, USA, acquired in the 1990s

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#151520
Condition Report: Beads are all ancient, strung in modern times. Beads show minor surface wear commensurate with age but are otherwise in excellent condition. Lovely and wearable.