Of all the technological achievements of civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been used to create jewelry, works of  More »

Of all the technological achievements of civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been used to create jewelry, works of art, and functional objects of great beauty. In the Bible, the value of glass is equated with that of gold and silver, and it was indeed treated by the ancients as a precious substance. The origins of glass are lost in the mists of time, but it most probably was invented by the Egyptians in the 4th millennium B.C. The Roman naturalist Pliny attributes the discovery of glassmaking to the Phoenicians, and the cities of the Levant were famous as centers for the glass trade. The earliest glass was opaque, colored in a variety of rich hues that often imitated gems like lapis and emerald. The Egyptians used it extensively in jewelry and made little distinction between the genuine and the artificial gems. The art of glassblowing and the development of transparent glass both date to the Roman period. From centers like Tyre and Alexandria, glass vessels were exported throughout the empire and as far east as Persia and China. The Romans colored their glass in myriad shades, favoring blue, green and yellow, as well as clear. One of the most fascinating properties of glass is that, through oxidization, it acquires a rich iridescent patina with age. Brilliant as a peacock's tail, this glass jewel is a piece of history that appeals directly to the contemporary eye. - (FJ.4488)   « Less

Of all the technological achievements of civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been used to create jewelry, works of  More »

Of all the technological achievements of civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been used to create jewelry, works of art, and functional objects of great beauty. In the Bible, the value of glass is equated with that of gold and silver, and it was indeed treated by the ancients as a precious substance. The origins of glass are lost in the mists of time, but it most probably was invented by the Egyptians in the 4th millennium B.C. The Roman naturalist Pliny attributes the discovery of glassmaking to the Phoenicians, and the cities of the Levant were famous as centers for the glass trade. The earliest glass was opaque, colored in a variety of rich hues that often imitated gems like lapis and emerald. The Egyptians used it extensively in jewelry and made little distinction between the genuine and the artificial gems. The art of glassblowing and the development of transparent glass both date to the Roman period. From centers like Tyre and Alexandria, glass vessels were exported throughout the empire and as far east as Persia and China. The Romans colored their glass in myriad shades, favoring blue, green and yellow, as well as clear. One of the most fascinating properties of glass is that, through oxidization, it acquires a rich iridescent patina with age. Brilliant as a peacock's tail, this glass jewel is a piece of history that appeals directly to the contemporary eye. - (FJ.4489)   « Less

Of all the technological achievements of civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been used to create jewelry, works of  More »

Of all the technological achievements of civilization, perhaps none so delights the senses as glass. For thousands of years, glass has been used to create jewelry, works of art, and functional objects of great beauty. In the Bible, the value of glass is equated with that of gold and silver, and it was indeed treated by the ancients as a precious substance. The origins of glass are lost in the mists of time, but it most probably was invented by the Egyptians in the 4th millennium B.C. The Roman naturalist Pliny attributes the discovery of glassmaking to the Phoenicians, and the cities of the Levant were famous as centers for the glass trade. The earliest glass was opaque, colored in a variety of rich hues that often imitated gems like lapis and emerald. The Egyptians used it extensively in jewelry and made little distinction between the genuine and the artificial gems. The art of glassblowing and the development of transparent glass both date to the Roman period. From centers like Tyre and Alexandria, glass vessels were exported throughout the empire and as far east as Persia and China. The Romans colored their glass in myriad shades, favoring blue, green and yellow, as well as clear. One of the most fascinating properties of glass is that, through oxidization, it acquires a rich iridescent patina with age. Brilliant as a peacock's tail, this glass jewel is a piece of history that appeals directly to the contemporary eye. - (FJ.4490)   « Less

This genuine Ancient Roman diorite votive sculpture has been mounted in a modern 18 karat gold pendant. - (FJ.0439)

This genuine Ancient Roman diorite votive sculpture has been mounted in a modern 18 karat gold pendant. - (FJ.0439)   « Less

Adorned by a crescent, this charming sculpture personifies the moon. A goddess who is ever changing yet eternally lovely. A pendant for someone as mysterious and beautiful as  More »

Adorned by a crescent, this charming sculpture personifies the moon. A goddess who is ever changing yet eternally lovely. A pendant for someone as mysterious and beautiful as the goddess herself. - (FJ.0562)   « Less

Glass, a material developed in the eastern Mediterranean region, largely came to Rome with its makers, Syrian and Judean craftsmen, many of who were slaves. Between the  More »

Glass, a material developed in the eastern Mediterranean region, largely came to Rome with its makers, Syrian and Judean craftsmen, many of who were slaves. Between the mid-first century B.C. and the early seventh century A.D., Roman glassmaking was influenced not only by the changing values and tastes of the Roman world, but also by historical events. Many new techniques of glassmaking were introduced along the way. Each glass vessel, in its shape and decoration, is therefore a record of the times in which it was made. This fragment of ancient glass has acquired a luminous, colorful patina over the centuries, a testament of age that only enhances its beauty. Set in this stunning 22 Karat gold pendant, this splendid work of jewelry combines materials that the Romans would have recognized as among the most precious known to man. While we might think of glass as quite ordinary today, during the Roman Empire it was as valuable as the perfumes and spices the glass vessels might have once held. This pendant reminds us of the past, while appearing stylish in the present. - (FJ.6974)   « Less

Origin: Israel Circa: 1 st Century AD to 3 rd Century AD Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high x 2" (5.1cm) wide x 1" (2.5cm) depth Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Roman  More »

Origin: Israel Circa: 1 st Century AD to 3 rd Century AD Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high x 2" (5.1cm) wide x 1" (2.5cm) depth Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Roman Medium: Glass, Silver   « Less

This authentic Roman bronze bead depicting the head of a woman has been mounted in a modern 18 karat gold pendant. With flowing hair that fall over her ears, framing her  More »

This authentic Roman bronze bead depicting the head of a woman has been mounted in a modern 18 karat gold pendant. With flowing hair that fall over her ears, framing her face, this woman would surely have been considered as beautiful to the eyes of an Ancient Roman as we consider her today. Who might she represent? A goddess? A priestess? A princess? A past ancestor? There are no definitive attributes that might reveal her true identity. However, we can presume that this amulet would have once been worn around the body of a Roman, as evident by the small hole under her chin and on the back the piece, through which as necklace would have been strung. - (X.1094)   « Less

Throughout the classical age, jewelry that blended the rich glow of gold with the deep red luster of garnet was greatly prized. During the long twilight of the Roman Empire,  More »

Throughout the classical age, jewelry that blended the rich glow of gold with the deep red luster of garnet was greatly prized. During the long twilight of the Roman Empire, some unknown individual wore this charming ring with its bold geometric shapes. It is so small that we might assume its owner was a child, though the bone structure of the ancients was considerably smaller than it is today. Perhaps no other clue to that vanished life survives, yet when we hold this lovely jewel in our hands, we remember the hands it graced so long ago. - (FJ.0068)   « Less

When the classical world was in full flower, this magnificent bracelet adorned the wrist of some ancient beauty. Decorated with bold abstract geometry, its loop terminates in  More »

When the classical world was in full flower, this magnificent bracelet adorned the wrist of some ancient beauty. Decorated with bold abstract geometry, its loop terminates in the stylized head of a ram, which would originally have confronted its mirror image. One thinks of the fabled golden ram whose fleece was the object of Jason's quest. As with much that survives from antiquity, this lovely jewel offers only its sculptural form, our imagination restores the missing pieces of its long history. - (FJ.0080)   « Less