ROMAN GOLD BRACELET WITH PENDANT AND GEM

Ca. 100-300 AD. Roman. A beautiful gold bracelet with a gold chain made of small figure of eight parts, a hook clasp, and a round gold pendant with a convex shape with central pinnacle, surrounded by twisted wire with integral loop; the round pendant is attached to the bracelet's main body through a hook decorated with a green gemstone. Excellent condition. 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. Bracelets 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 bracelets and jewellery production in general, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen.Size: L:105mm / W:80mm ; 7.9g. Provenance: From the collection of a gentleman based in London; formerly in a private collection (New York, United States) formed in the 1980s; previously in Alexander Gallery (New York), old inv. 17699.