ROMAN GOLD AMULET ON ORIGINAL CHAIN - FULL ANALYSIS

Ca. 200-400 AD. Roman. A gold necklace with a gold chain made of small figure of eight parts and a gold pendant, ellipsoidal in cross-section, in the shape of a tube with ribbed ends, attached are three small hoops for the fastening of the necklace. A wheel-shaped open-work finial is attached to the original chain. The item has undergone X-ray fluorescence analysis to confirm the metallurgical content suggesting its ancient origin and lack of modern trace elements. It also comes with a gemological and historical report by an independent specialist Anna Rogers. Necklaces were part of the feminine costume in the Roman world and were used both for aesthetic purposes and to communicate social messages of status and wealth. Some examples can be seen faithfully illustrated, for instance, in the female painted mummy portraits from Roman Egypt; ancient sculptures too sometimes show bejewelled women of the Roman period - see, for instance, the splendid series of carved reliefs from the city of Palmyra, in modern Syria. To find out more about Roman necklaces and jewellery production in general, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen.Size: L:170mm / W:mm ; 32g. Provenance: From the collection of a gentleman based in London; formerly in a private collection (Zurich, Switzerland): formerly with Numismatic Art & Ancient Coins (Zurich), acquired in 1985.