Ancient Egyptian Eye Bead Pendants

Ancient Egyptian Eye Bead Pendants

Item Number: 20091

$295.00

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Period: Amarna Period ending 1348 BCE
Dimensions: 3/4" (2.0 cm)
Material: Ancient Glass
Condition: Excellent, slight repair, one of the four is cracked
Region: Egypt
Provenance: from an old English collection
Description
Four ancient glass eye shaped pendants in beautiful yellow, blue and white opaque glass. The Amarna Period ended with the death of Ay who married Tutankhamun's widow in 1348 BCE. Van der Sleen (see below) writes "the 10th dynasty brings small glazed melon beads of 10 mm. diameter and green globular beads with a black spot, that may be described as the first eye-beads." With each successive period, the techniques and expertise of bead making expanded as the artisans attempted more elaborate designs. Could be fashioned into a stunning wearable necklace.
All four may be purchased for $850 or individually or as pairs.

Ref. Two very good collections of beads in Western Europe: the collection of Sir Flinders Petrie at the Dept of Egyptology, University College, London, and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Also "A Handbook on Beads", W.G.N. van der Sleen, Librairie Halbart, Liege, Belgium 1973

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