A PAIR OF BYZANTINE GOLD, PEARL, GARNET AND EMERALD EARRINGS

CIRCA 5TH-6TH CENTURY A.D.

Details

A PAIR OF BYZANTINE GOLD, PEARL, GARNET AND EMERALD EARRINGS
CIRCA 5TH-6TH CENTURY A.D.
Each composed of a plain hollow hoop, tapering at each end to plain wire forming a hook-and-loop closure, the loop extending, threaded through a pearl and coiled back around the hoop, suspending a drop composed of wire spiraled along the length, threaded through a beaded spacer and a globular emerald bead, a large granule above the spiral, also suspending both ends of a length of double loop-in-loop chain with ribbed collars, supporting a small pendant cross, centered by a collar-set cabochon garnet
Each: 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm.) long

Provenance

Private Collection, England, 1970s.
Ancient Jewelry, Christie's, New York, 7 December 2011, lot 449.

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Lot Essay

Earrings with pendant chains were fashionable in Byzantium but have survived in limited numbers. There is one earring in Baltimore (no. 446 in A. Garside, ed., Jewelry, Ancient to Modern) and a pair in the Ferrell Collection, all with pendant crosses, pearls and precious gems (no. 172 in J. Spier, Treasures of the Ferrell Collection).

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