Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Amber This unusual necklace brings together amber and faience, two of the ornaments  More »

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Amber This unusual necklace brings together amber and faience, two of the ornaments most prized by the ancients. Faience, a glass composite glaze, was introduced in Egypt as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. Beads of various sizes and shapes were formed from clay, coated with faience paste and then fired to bright colors. The majority of beads were in shades of blue or green, but red, yellow and black were also popular. In the art of Egypt’s Golden Age, beautiful women are shown adorned with strand after strand of faience beads. Very often, such jewelry was buried in tombs to bring pleasure through eternity. In this lovely necklace, the beads certainly fulfill their promise. Amber, the fossilized resin of extinct trees, is one of the oldest gems known to mankind. Its use as an amulet or for jewelry stretches back to the Stone Age. It was traded throughout the ancient world along routes that led from the north to the palaces of Crete, Egypt and Babylon. Homer mentions amber in the Odyssey. In color, amber varies in hue from pale yellow, to honey brown, to deep orange, to red. Combined here with Egyptian Faience, Amber helps create a Jewel that the Queen of Sheba, Nefertite or Helen of Troy might have worn with pride. - (FJ.3868)   « Less

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Coral This unusual necklace brings together cora and faience, two of the ornaments  More »

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Coral This unusual necklace brings together cora and faience, two of the ornaments most prized by the ancients. Faience, a glass composite glaze, was introduced in Egypt as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. Beads of various sizes and shapes were formed from clay, coated with faience paste and then fired to bright colors. The majority of beads were in shades of blue or green, but red, yellow and black were also popular. In the art of Egypt’s Golden Age, beautiful women are shown adorned with strand after strand of faience beads. Very often, such jewelry was buried in tombs to bring pleasure through eternity. In this lovely necklace, the beads certainly fulfill their promise. For centuries, coral was classed among the precious gems valued by civilization. An organic substance, it is composed of the skeletons of millions of tiny marine animals. Plantlike in appearance, it grows in warm waters. White is the most common color for coral, but the rarer shades of red, pink, orange and black are much sought after for jewelry and amulets. Its therapeutic value has long been understood, for coral, like pearl, seems to derive its strength from the accumulated energy of living things. Combined here with Egyptian faience, coral helps create a jewel of bold and barbaric splendor, one that the Queen of Sheba, Nefertiti, or Helen Of Troy might have worn with pride. - (FJ.3873)   « Less

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Coral This unusual necklace brings together amber and faience, two of the ornaments  More »

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Coral This unusual necklace brings together amber and faience, two of the ornaments most prized by the ancients. Faience, a glass composite glaze, was introduced in Egypt as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. Beads of various sizes and shapes were formed from clay, coated with faience paste and then fired to bright colors. The majority of beads were in shades of blue or green, but red, yellow and black were also popular. In the art of Egypt’s Golden Age, beautiful women are shown adorned with strand after strand of faience beads. Very often, such jewelry was buried in tombs to bring pleasure through eternity. In this lovely necklace, the beads certainly fulfill their promise. For centuries, coral was classed among the precious gems valued by civilization. An organic substance, it is composed of the skeletons of millions of tiny marine animals. Plantlike in appearance, it grows in warm waters. White is the most common color for coral, but the rarer shades of red, pink, orange and black are much sought after for jewelry and amulets. Its therapeutic value has long been understood, for coral, like pearl, seems to derive its strength from the accumulated energy of living things. Combined here with Egyptian faience, coral helps create a jewel of bold and barbaric splendor, one that the Queen of Sheba, Nefertiti, or Helen Of Troy might have worn with pride. - (FJ.3876)   « Less

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Coral This unusual necklace brings together amber and faience, two of the ornaments  More »

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience-Coral This unusual necklace brings together amber and faience, two of the ornaments most prized by the ancients. Faience, a glass composite glaze, was introduced in Egypt as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. Beads of various sizes and shapes were formed from clay, coated with faience paste and then fired to bright colors. The majority of beads were in shades of blue or green, but red, yellow and black were also popular. In the art of Egypt’s Golden Age, beautiful women are shown adorned with strand after strand of faience beads. Very often, such jewelry was buried in tombs to bring pleasure through eternity. In this lovely necklace, the beads certainly fulfill their promise. For centuries, coral was classed among the precious gems valued by civilization. An organic substance, it is composed of the skeletons of millions of tiny marine animals. Plantlike in appearance, it grows in warm waters. White is the most common color for coral, but the rarer shades of red, pink, orange and black are much sought after for jewelry and amulets. Its therapeutic value has long been understood, for coral, like pearl, seems to derive its strength from the accumulated energy of living things. Combined here with Egyptian faience, coral helps create a jewel of bold and barbaric splendor, one that the Queen of Sheba, Nefertiti, or Helen Of Troy might have worn with pride. - (FJ.3877)   « Less

Origin: Egypt (Sinai, Alexandria) Circa: 1600 BC to 100 BC Collection: Egyptian/Greek Medium: Faience-Gold The timeless radiance of classical gold is set to perfection by  More »

Origin: Egypt (Sinai, Alexandria) Circa: 1600 BC to 100 BC Collection: Egyptian/Greek Medium: Faience-Gold The timeless radiance of classical gold is set to perfection by sky blue beads first worn in Ancient Egypt. Gold has been prized since earliest antiquity for its beauty and rarity, while the color blue is thought to bring good fortune and happiness to those who wear it, this elegant necklace would have caused sensation in the palaces Thebes, Alexandria or Rome; in the modern world it will do no less. The person who wears this unusual ornament today will certainly be both lucky and happy. - (FJ.3881)   « Less

Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. According to Egyptologists, such beads  More »

Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. According to Egyptologists, such beads were made on an axis, probably of thread, which would burn up during firing, leaving a hole. Disc, ring and tubular beads were made by coating the axis with the unfired body-paste, rolling the cylinder to an even diameter on a flat surface, and then scoring it with a knife into sections of the desired length. Other shapes, such as ball beads, were rolled between the hands and perforated while still wet with a stiff point such as a wire needle. The beads were then dried, coated with glaze (if the glaze had not already been mixed with the paste), and fired. The firing process often gave the beads a beautiful translucent quality. The majority of faience beads are blue or green in color, but black, red, yellow and white ones were also produced, especially in the New Egyptian Kingdom. In the art of Ancient Egypt, we see lovely women adorned with such jewels. To wear these beads today is to follow in the royal tradition of Nefertiti, Tutankhamen and Cleopatra. - (FJ.4562)   « Less

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was  More »

Origin: Egypt (Sinai) Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Medium: Faience Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. According to Egyptologists, such beads were made on an axis, probably of thread, which would burn up during firing, leaving a hole. Disc, ring and tubular beads were made by coating the axis with the unfired body-paste, rolling the cylinder to an even diameter on a flat surface, and then scoring it with a knife into sections of the desired length. Other shapes, such as ball beads, were rolled between the hands and perforated while still wet with a stiff point such as a wire needle. The beads were then dried, coated with glaze (if the glaze had not already been mixed with the paste), and fired. The firing process often gave the beads a beautiful translucent quality. The majority of faience beads are blue or green in color, but black, red, yellow and white ones were also produced, especially in the New Egyptian Kingdom. In the art of Ancient Egypt, we see lovely women adorned with such jewels. To wear these beads today is to follow in the royal tradition of Nefertiti, Tutankhamen and Cleopatra. - (FJ.4563)   « Less

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Faience, Amber Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a  More »

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Faience, Amber Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. According to Egyptologists, such beads were made on an axis, probably of thread, which would burn up during firing, leaving a hole. Disc, ring and tubular beads were made by coating the axis with the unfired body-paste, rolling the cylinder to an even diameter on a flat surface, and then scoring it with a knife into sections of the desired length. Other shapes, such as ball beads, were rolled between the hands and perforated while still wet with a stiff point such as a wire needle. The beads were then dried, coated with glaze (if the glaze had not already been mixed with the paste), and fired. The firing process often gave the beads a beautiful translucent quality. The majority of faience beads are blue or green in color, but black, red, yellow and white ones were also produced, especially in the New Egyptian Kingdom. In the art of Ancient Egypt, we see lovely women adorned with such jewels. To wear these beads today is to follow in the royal tradition of Nefertiti, Tutankhamen and Cleopatra. - (FJ.4568)   « Less

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Faience Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a  More »

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Faience Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. According to Egyptologists, such beads were made on an axis, probably of thread, which would burn up during firing, leaving a hole. Disc, ring and tubular beads were made by coating the axis with the unfired body-paste, rolling the cylinder to an even diameter on a flat surface, and then scoring it with a knife into sections of the desired length. Other shapes, such as ball beads, were rolled between the hands and perforated while still wet with a stiff point such as a wire needle. The beads were then dried, coated with glaze (if the glaze had not already been mixed with the paste), and fired. The firing process often gave the beads a beautiful translucent quality. The majority of faience beads are blue or green in color, but black, red, yellow and white ones were also produced, especially in the New Egyptian Kingdom. In the art of Ancient Egypt, we see lovely women adorned with such jewels. To wear these beads today is to follow in the royal tradition of Nefertiti, Tutankhamen and Cleopatra. - (FJ.4569)   « Less

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Faience Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a  More »

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Faience Most Ancient Egyptian beads were made of faience, a glass-composite glaze which was introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period. According to Egyptologists, such beads were made on an axis, probably of thread, which would burn up during firing, leaving a hole. Disc, ring and tubular beads were made by coating the axis with the unfired body-paste, rolling the cylinder to an even diameter on a flat surface, and then scoring it with a knife into sections of the desired length. Other shapes, such as ball beads, were rolled between the hands and perforated while still wet with a stiff point such as a wire needle. The beads were then dried, coated with glaze (if the glaze had not already been mixed with the paste), and fired. The firing process often gave the beads a beautiful translucent quality. The majority of faience beads are blue or green in color, but black, red, yellow and white ones were also produced, especially in the New Egyptian Kingdom. In the art of Ancient Egypt, we see lovely women adorned with such jewels. To wear these beads today is to follow in the royal tradition of Nefertiti, Tutankhamen and Cleopatra. - (FJ.4570)   « Less