necklace;
ornament
- Museum number
- 1891,0627.1.a-b
- Description
-
Gold rosette and 'double axe' necklace and two floral ornaments. The necklace consists of rosettes alternating with 'double axe' units. The latter are rimmed with spiral-beaded wire and filled with green enamel. At the centre is a grain, and attached to the edge of each 'blade' is a small rosette. The rosette units are, as preserved, of two sizes (nine units of seven petals; twenty-five units of six petals). All have concave petals with spiral-beaded wire borders, and all a central grain. There are traces of blue enamel in one of the smaller type. One terminal-like element is preserved, attached to a 'double axe' unit. It is of droplet shape and is decorated with a filigree palmette bounded by spiral-beaded wire ending in spirals. Both the rosettes and the 'double axes' have double threading tubes on the back.
Each floral ornament consists of three pairs of spirals topped by a small palmette, the heart of which is blue and the leaves green. At the bottom are acanthus leaves, the central one filled with green enamel, the outer ones with blue. In the centre is a rosette, and at the top a smaller one with alternately green and blue petals. There are also droplets on either side of the central rosette, the lower pair blue, the upper pair green. The filigree, rosettes and spirals are of spiral-beaded wire.
- Production date
- 400BC-350BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 1.90 centimetres (of florals)
-
Length: 22.50 centimetres
-
Weight: 14.60 grammes (of necklace)
-
Weight: 1.80 grammes (of spiral units, each)
- Curator's comments
- Williams and Ogden 1994
The two floral elements do not belong to the necklace, nor do they have any clear means of attachment. Nevertheless, they were acquired with the necklace, and the wire and condition suggest that they may belong to the same set of items. They may previously have been displayed attached to either end of the accompanying necklace.
This necklace is a variation on the rosette and lotus-palmette scheme (Hermitage P.1854.22 and BM GR 1872.6-4.667), the lotus-palmettes here being replaced with 'double axes'.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: BMCJ 1951; M. Pfrommer, IstMitt 36 (1986), p. 67, n. 41.
- Location
- On display (G20/dc2)
- Condition
- Slight damage to some of the mid-sized rosettes. One mid-sized flower missing from between double axes at end.
- Acquisition date
- 1891
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1891,0627.1.a-b
