Ancient Egypt, Late Period Necklace with Faience Melon Beads

Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid. Necklace featuring ancient Egyptian faience beads, including several large melon-shaped beads. The authentic ancient beads have been restrung using modern materials, complemented by decorative spacer beads and finished with a modern clasp. Total length: ± 54 cm Diameter beads: ± 17,9 mm Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher. Condition: good solid condition, wearable. Restrung with modern materials. Minor surface irregularities and signs of wear consistent with age and use. -> Faience was very popular and widely used in ancient Egypt. The earliest evidence of faience production was discovered in a 7500 year old workshop near the temple in Abydos. The production and style of faience changed through Egyptian history. Different colourants were used for aesthetic and symbolic purposes, or to imitate the more expensive and rare semi-precious gemstones like turquoise, carnelian, lapis lazuli, garnets or obsidian. Egyptians believed that faience in the colour of gemstones had the same properties. Red had protective powers, dark lapis blue gave strength, courage and wisdom, bright turquoise was associated with fertility and offered protection to the wearer. As faience was more available than semi-precious gemstones it became a popular and widely used material for small objects like scarabs and other forms of amulets, beads, jewellery, small size statuettes, cosmetic vessels and ritual objects. In ancient Egypt, faience objects were seen as magical, reflecting the eternal shimmer of the sun and infused with the powers of rebirth and sparkle with the brilliance of eternity.

Estimate:£251.85

View all items fromCatawikiorAncient Art