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

Gold jewelry – including finger rings, bracelets, and hair rings – in the form of coiled snakes gained popularity in Egypt during the Ptolemaic period and continued to be fashionable well into the Roman Imperial era. In addition to being ornamental, the snake was also traditionally associated with healing, and these items likely also served apotropaic functions. For a similar example in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 74.51.4078), see p. 55 in C. Alexander, Jewelry: The Art of the Goldsmith in Classical Times as Illustrated in the Museum Collection.