During the late Middle Ages and throughout the Renaissance, Venetian artisans rediscovered the ancient secrets of glass making. On the island of Murano, they created superb vessels and jewelry which were valued throughout the known world. It was also during this period that Venice became the most powerful trading nation in Europe, a city whose ships visited every port both east and west. Venetian traders used glass beads for barter, and these jewels became especially prized in Africa, where they were traded for gold, ivory, rare woods and spices. Venetian beads quickly became a medium of exchange throughout Africa, and in some tribes were used as a bridal dowry. The rare and subtle beauty of these beads continues to dazzle the senses even after the passage of centuries. Of vivid green often banded with black, malachite is a hydrous copper carbonate first mined by the ancients in the 4th millennium B.C. The famous mines of King Solomon in the Wadi Arabah were an important source of malachite, which was used for jewelry and talismans as well as for cosmetics for the eye when powdered. The gem has been valued as a talisman for centuries, and is especially thought to protect the very young and to cure eye ailments of many sorts. Because of its high copper content, malachite helps relieve problems caused by a deficiency of this mineral. Its rich green color makes it as appealing to the modern eye as it was to the ancient one. Origin: Africa Circa: 1600 BC to 1800 BC Collection: African Medium: Glass-Malachite

Antiquities
Ancient Jewelry