Origin: Israel Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Collection: Classical Style: Roman Glass Fragment

Origin: Israel Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Collection: Classical Style: Roman Glass Fragment   « Less

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 2.35" (6.0cm) high Collection: Jewelry Style: Roman Medium: Gold

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 2.35" (6.0cm) high Collection: Jewelry Style: Roman Medium: Gold   « Less

The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the scarab is an emblem of the creator, Khepera. The word kepher denotes Being, Existence, Creation, or Becoming, and the god Kephera is  More »

The sacred beetle of ancient Egypt, the scarab is an emblem of the creator, Khepera. The word kepher denotes Being, Existence, Creation, or Becoming, and the god Kephera is the self-existent maker of all things. The worship of the scarab, which is symbolic of resurrection and fertility, dates from the earliest period of civilization in Egypt. Carved scarabs served two major functions: as amulets with protective and religious powers, and as personal seals, which designated the property and authority of the individual whose name was placed upon them. In both cases, the power ascribed to the scarab was very great—in life they served as the signature of their owner and were thought to bring prosperity, and in the afterlife they ensured rebirth through eternity. - (DK.105)   « Less

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 1.12" (2.8cm) high Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Roman Period Medium: Glass, Gold

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 1.12" (2.8cm) high Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Roman Period Medium: Glass, Gold   « Less

This magnificent pair of Hellenistic gold earrings are formed from hoops with suspended pendants. The design is abstract with a cylindrical column attached to a square base,  More »

This magnificent pair of Hellenistic gold earrings are formed from hoops with suspended pendants. The design is abstract with a cylindrical column attached to a square base, beneath which is a cluster of golden granulations. Luxurious items such as these were made to be worn as symbols of status and elegance. Gold jewellery was also dedicated to the gods as votive offerings in temple sanctuaries. This practice was particularly common amongst women seeking a good marriage or protection in childbirth. During the Hellenistic period important jewellery workshops are known to have been located at Tarentum, Alexandria and Antioch. The Greek mainland itself was not naturally rich in gold and it had to be sought elsewhere through trade and conquest. Around the Mediterranean more plentiful supplies could be found in Egypt, Nubia and Spain. Further afield to the east, northern Kazakhstan and the Altai Mountains are believed to have been important sources. Indeed, Alexander the Great’s military exploits in the Near East were sometimes referred to as a quest for gold. The scarcity of the material can only have contributed to its allure among the elite of Hellenistic society. - (OS.018 )   « Less

This exquisite Roman earring is composed of a single pearl suspended from a gold wire, around which another wire has been tightly twisted. A granulated bead has been inserted  More »

This exquisite Roman earring is composed of a single pearl suspended from a gold wire, around which another wire has been tightly twisted. A granulated bead has been inserted just above the pearl, and further granulation can be found on the hoop. This has both a decorative and a practical function as the granulations serve to keep the pendant in place. In ancient Rome gold jewellery was worn by men and women of status, but was especially valued by the latter as a means of self-expression. Whereas male jewellery was often limited to a single gold finger ring, women wore much more elaborate ensembles. Indeed attempts by the state to limit such conspicuous display were met with strong resistance. In 195 BC, for example, women actually took to the streets and protested against the Oppian Law (passed in 215 BC) which attempted to curb the use of jewellery in times of war.Early Roman jewellery resembled Etruscan and Greek antecedents but by the 2nd century AD a discernible ‘Roman style’ had begun to emerge. In fact, despite their love of display, the Romans actually preferred simpler geometric designs to the extravagant mythological, figural and foliate creations of the Greeks. Goldsmiths were active in many centres of the Empire including Rome, Alexandria and Antioch but there was remarkable homogeneity in design. Likenesses of women wearing Roman jewellery have survived in the mosaics from Pompeii and Herculaneum, on Palmyran limestone funerary steles and most evocatively on the painted funerary portraits from Fayuum in Egypt. These images help to remind us this earring was once worn and treasured by a real person in antiquity.   « Less

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 1" (2.5cm) wide Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Roman

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 1" (2.5cm) wide Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Roman   « Less

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 300 BC to 100 BC Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Hellenistic Medium: Gold

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 300 BC to 100 BC Collection: Classical Antiquities Style: Hellenistic Medium: Gold   « Less

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Collection: Jewelry Style: Roman Medium: Gold, Glass, Pearl

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Collection: Jewelry Style: Roman Medium: Gold, Glass, Pearl   « Less

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Collection: Jewelry Style: Roman Period

Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Collection: Jewelry Style: Roman Period   « Less