A GREEK GOLD GEM-SET PENDANT EARRING
A GREEK GOLD GEM-SET PENDANT EARRING
1 More
A GREEK GOLD GEM-SET PENDANT EARRING

LATE HELLENISTIC, CIRCA 2ND-1ST CENTURY B.C.

Details
A GREEK GOLD GEM-SET PENDANT EARRING
LATE HELLENISTIC, CIRCA 2ND-1ST CENTURY B.C.
3 in. (7.5 cm.) long
Provenance
New York art market, 1989.
UK private collection, acquired from the above.

Brought to you by

Claudio Corsi
Claudio Corsi Specialist, Head of Department

Lot Essay

The present earring is of a well-known type using Egyptian crowns, otherwise known as 'crown of Isis' as part of their decoration, found all over the eastern Mediterranean. The crown is formed of a sun disc and feather motif. Below is a circular rosette with a cabochon garnet center, which would have originally been bounded by a row of pearls, now missing. Below there is a drop pendant figure of Eros playing a lyre and wearing the skin garments associated with Attis. Cf. B. Deppert-Lippitz, Griechischer Goldschmuck, Mainz am Rhein, 1985, colour pl. XXXI for a pair of similar earrings in the British Museum (inv. no. 1906,0411.1).

More from Antiquities: Including Ancient Engraved Gems Formerly in the G. Sangiorgi Collection Part IV

View All
View All