Pre-Columbian / Roman Carnelian & Jasper Bead Necklace (Auction 2026-06-05, Lot 173A)

$449.75

Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Sinu (Zenu) or Tairona people, ca. 1000 to 1500 CE & Near East, Mesopotamia / Egypt, New Kingdom to Roman Period, ca. 1550 BCE to 1000 CE. An assemblage necklace composed of ancient carnelian, jasper, and agate beads gathered from multiple regions and thoughtfully restrung into a wearable form. The necklace features warm red and orange stones in varied shapes, including elongated barrel forms and rounded, drop-like beads, culminating in a clustered pendant arrangement that highlights the natural variation of the materials. For millennia, these hardstone gems have been valued for their saturated color, durability, and luminous polish, making them enduring choices for adornment across cultures and centuries. Here, elements spanning the ancient Americas and the broader Mediterranean and Near Eastern world are brought together in a single composition, linked by modern brass spacer beads and finished with a contemporary magnetic clasp for ease of wear. Size of strand: 16″ L (40.6 cm); teardrop bead: 0.5″ L x 0.6″ W (1.3 cm x 1.5 cm)

Provenance: ex-Moore collection, Houston, Texas, USA

Condition: Pitting and chips to stone beads as expected with age. Strung in modern times with modern glass spacer beads and magnet clasp. Wearable.