Lot 147a, Auction 4/20/2026: Romano-Egyptian Faience & Carnelian Bead Necklace

$390.00

In stock

Egypt, Roman period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A beautifully balanced Romano-Egyptian necklace composed of ancient beads strung on a modern cord for contemporary wear. The strand features an elegant interplay of materials and colors – warm red-orange carnelian, soft turquoise faience, muted gray stone, and translucent glass – each bearing the subtle surface texture of age. The beads vary in shape from disk to barrel form, reflecting the diverse craftsmanship of workshops active across Roman Egypt. Such mixed-material necklaces were popular throughout the Roman Imperial period, especially in the cosmopolitan centers of Alexandria and the Nile Delta, where Egyptian traditions met Greco-Roman aesthetics. Faience, a material long revered for its luminous color and symbolic associations with regeneration, complements the earthy solidity of carnelian, which was believed to offer protection and vitality. Size of largest bead: 0.4″ L x 0.4″ W (1 cm x 1 cm); of necklace: 24.5″ L (62.2 cm)

This necklace, re-strung for modern adornment, preserves the refined artistry and cross-cultural sophistication of ancient Egypt under Roman rule – a timeless adornment that bridges antiquity and the present.

Condition: Ancient beads strung on a modern strand to be wearable. Some nicks, chips and abrasion s to beads, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and very nice.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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