A PAIR OF BYZANTINE GOLD, GLASS AND PEARL EARRINGS

CIRCA LATE 6TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.

Details

A PAIR OF BYZANTINE GOLD, GLASS AND PEARL EARRINGS
CIRCA LATE 6TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.
Each composed of a circular gold box, with beaded border, decorated on the front with a rosette, the centre set with a circular pale blue glass cabochon, secured with claws, framed by eight hemispherical petals inlaid with green glass, the reverse decorated with an incised six petalled flower, three solid gold loops below, suspending three composite pendants, each with a glass inlay in a crenelated rhomboid setting above pear-shaped gold beads, cylindrical glass beads and pearls, held in place by a gold wire terminating in a hook, a solid loop with beaded border on top edge for attachment of ear hooks
3 1/8 in. (8 cm.) high (2)

Provenance

Van Rijckevorsel van Kessel collection, the Netherlands, 1960s.
Private collection, the Netherlands.

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Lot Essay

These earrings are likely to be from the same workshop as the Byzantine bracelets (lot 139) because of the similarity of the engraved design of the gold sheet on the back of the main element. For a pair of earrings with foliate designs on the back of the gold settings, cf., A. Garside ed., Jewelry, Ancient to Modern, The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, 1979, p. 142, no. 405.

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