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Ancient Near East, Sumeria, ca. 3rd to 2nd millennium BCE. Bright red carnelian, pale blue faience and paste glass, white ceramic, and pink quartz beads from ancient Sumer are strung using modern sterling silver to create a matching necklace and earrings. Both necklace and earrings are centered around a hammered openwork triangular form with three bands of beads running through its center. The carnelian beads are of a similar style to those found in the “Great Death Pit,” the most spectacular of Ur’s Royal Tombs, which contained six men (each armed and found near the entrance, interpreted to be guards) and sixty-eight women. Almost all of the women wore jewelry and headdresses adorned with silver, gold, lapis lazuli, and carnelian – giving us an idea of how important these beads were in ancient Mesopotamia. Size of necklace: 23.2″ L (58.9 cm); size of earring: 1.05″ W x 2.2″ H (2.7 cm x 5.6 cm)
Condition: Beads have signs of wear and small losses commensurate with age. Beads are ancient. Modern sterling silver stringing and findings.
Provenance: private Denver, Colorado USA collection
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