A PARTHIAN GOLD CAPPED ROCK CRYSTAL PENDANT WITH RED VEINING
A PARTHIAN GOLD CAPPED ROCK CRYSTAL PENDANT WITH RED VEINING

CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C./A.D.

Details
A PARTHIAN GOLD CAPPED ROCK CRYSTAL PENDANT WITH RED VEINING
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C./A.D.
Torpedo-shaped, the gold cap decorated with two bands of gold granules in triangles between twisted gold wire borders, a ribbed suspension loop above, 1.1/8 in (2.9 cm.) high; a large brown and white banded agate cylindrical bead with twin gold caps with granulated triangle decoration, 1.7/8 in. (4.7 cm.) high; another gold capped agate cylindrical bead, 1 in. (2.5 cm.) high; and a gold capped orange banded agate bead with white veining, 1.1/8 in. (2.9 cm.) high, the last three pierced longitudinally, all circa 1st Century B.C./A.D. (4)

Lot Essay

Item one: the shape and material of this pendant suggests a possible use for divination by pendulum swinging. For the others, cf. M. Pfrommer, Metalwork from the Hellenized East, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, 1993, pp. 174-175, nos 53-58 for similar.

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