Mughal Gold Ring - OS.379, Origin: India, Circa: 17 th Century AD to 19 th Century AD, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Mughal, Medium: Gold.

Mughal Gold Ring - OS.379, Origin: India, Circa: 17 th Century AD to 19 th Century AD, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Mughal, Medium: Gold.   « Less

The name "dolphin" comes from the Greek word delphys, meaning womb. In ancient Greece, the term applied to all dolphins, as they made no distiction between different species.  More »

The name "dolphin" comes from the Greek word delphys, meaning womb. In ancient Greece, the term applied to all dolphins, as they made no distiction between different species. In fact, one species of fish (Coryphaena hippurus, now known as the dolphin fish, the mahi-mahi, or the dorado, was also called a dolphin by the Greeks, further adding to the confusion. In ancient times, the common dolphin was considered the most pure representative of the dolphin family, appearing on cups, coins, and friezes. Only relatively recently has the species been recognised as individual rather than an all- purpose "dolphin" classification. There have been thousands of years of confusion over what does and does not constitute a dolphin, and over what the different species of dolphin are. - (X.0644)   « Less

The forceful features of Maximinus leap out from their magnificent setting of heavy gold. He looks every bit the ambitious soldier emperor. A bold necklace meant to be worn  More »

The forceful features of Maximinus leap out from their magnificent setting of heavy gold. He looks every bit the ambitious soldier emperor. A bold necklace meant to be worn by someone unafraid to lead. - (FJ.1123)   « Less

This is a necklace of luxurious little contrasts: of the rich, deep shades of the beads against the bright gleam of gold and silver. Trajan was a man of quite a few contrasts  More »

This is a necklace of luxurious little contrasts: of the rich, deep shades of the beads against the bright gleam of gold and silver. Trajan was a man of quite a few contrasts himself, so he surely would approve, especially if the necklace is worn by a woman of many different moods in her own right. - (FJ.1807)   « Less

During the height of the classical world, no other Greek state rivaled Athens for power, wealth and beauty. The legacy of the Athenian golden age is still found in the  More »

During the height of the classical world, no other Greek state rivaled Athens for power, wealth and beauty. The legacy of the Athenian golden age is still found in the institution of democracy, in drama and the arts and in the architectural wonders on the acropolis. This splendid silver tetradrachm evokes the glory and grandeur of that unique world. On the front of the coin appears the dramatic image of a helmeted Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and war. Athena was the daughter of Zeus, king of the gods. According to myth, her father was suffering from an enormous headache and summoned Hephaistion the blacksmith god to split open his head and relieve the pain. When Hephaistion brought his hammer down on Zeus skull, Athena jumped forth fully grown and wearing a suit of armor. Although important to all the Greek people, Athena’s chief cult was at Athens, the city named for her. Legend has it that she had a contest with Poseidon, god of the sea, for control of the town. It was decided that whichever god gave the most valuable gift to the city would become its patron. Poseidon struck the earth with his trident and a salt spring came forth Athena produced the olive tree, source of ancient Athens greatest commercial wealth, and thereby won the contest. The scenes of her birth and the contest were portrayed on the pediments of the Parthenon, the temple erected in her honor on the acropolis of Athens in the 5th century B.C. On the reverse side of this Athenian coin an owl appears, the ancient symbol of wisdom--one that often accompanies the portrayal of the revered goddess of wisdom, Athena. Framed by a regal gold ring setting, one that befits such an important coin, this radiant work of art truly evidences the glory of ancient Athens, a city that continues to cast its spell upon our senses. - (FJ.5180)   « Less

The Khmer civilization, today embodied by the temples and ruins of Angkor, one of mankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements, flourished from 802-1431  More »

The Khmer civilization, today embodied by the temples and ruins of Angkor, one of mankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements, flourished from 802-1431 A.D. From the great citadel of Angkor, the kings of the Khmer empire ruled over a vast domain that reached from what is now southern Vietnam to Yunan, China and from Vietnam westward to the Bay of Bengal. The original city was built around the Phnom Bakeng, a temple on a hill symbolizing the mountain that stands in the center of the world according to Hindu cosmology. Successive kings enlarged the city, building other temples devoted to various Hindu deities and large reservoirs used for irrigation, which also symbolized the ocean surrounding the holy central mountain.The history of gold working in Ancient Cambodia is still relatively unknown, due in large part to the scarcity of remaining examples. Unlike other ancient cultures that interred their elite in resplendent burials along with signs of their wealth, such as jewelry, the Khmer created their deceased, depriving modern archaeologists of any possible tomb discoveries. However, there are numerous records that testify to the practice of goldworking during the Khmer era, both in their own inscriptions and in writings of neighboring cultures, including the Chinese. This magnificent necklace is composed of a long, complex loop-in-loop strand featuring two terminals decorated with the heads of the bird- like mythological creature Garuda. A central circular pendant decorated with floral motifs hammered into the gold has been strung along the necklace. Precious stone adorn the work, including an emerald in the center of the pendant and small rubies decorating each terminal. - (CK.0034)   « Less

Pair of Gold Seljuk Bracelets with Glass Inlay - AD.113, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 11 th Century AD to 12 th Century AD, Dimensions: 2.7" (6.9cm) high x 2.6" (6.6cm) wide,  More »

Pair of Gold Seljuk Bracelets with Glass Inlay - AD.113, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 11 th Century AD to 12 th Century AD, Dimensions: 2.7" (6.9cm) high x 2.6" (6.6cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Seljuk, Medium: Gold, Glass.   « Less

Gold Seljuk Bracelet with Turquoise Inlay - AD.114, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 11 th Century AD to 12 th Century AD, Dimensions: 2.7" (6.9cm) high x 2.9" (7.4cm) wide,  More »

Gold Seljuk Bracelet with Turquoise Inlay - AD.114, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 11 th Century AD to 12 th Century AD, Dimensions: 2.7" (6.9cm) high x 2.9" (7.4cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Seljuk, Medium: Gold, Turquoise.   « Less

Gold Feligree Pendant - AD.117, Origin: Egypt or Turkey, Dimensions: 7.8" (19.8cm) high, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Fatimid or Ottoman, Medium: Gold.

Gold Feligree Pendant - AD.117, Origin: Egypt or Turkey, Dimensions: 7.8" (19.8cm) high, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Fatimid or Ottoman, Medium: Gold.   « Less

Gold Mamluk Filigree Bracelet - AD.118, Origin: Egypt or Syria, Circa: 13 th Century AD to 16 th Century AD, Dimensions: 8.2" (20.8cm) high, Collection: Islamic Art, Style:  More »

Gold Mamluk Filigree Bracelet - AD.118, Origin: Egypt or Syria, Circa: 13 th Century AD to 16 th Century AD, Dimensions: 8.2" (20.8cm) high, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Mamluk, Medium: Gold.   « Less