GREEK HELLENISTIC GOLD EARRINGS WITH LUNAR PENDANT DROPS 4th-1st century BC A pair of gold earrings with basket shaped hoops with hinged hook; below a square panel set with garnet with a filigree surround and sliding attachment connected to a half moon set with a white glass cabochon with filigree surround; below a tear drop shaped white glass cabochon with filigree border, four large balls of gold below. 7 grams total, 57mm (2 1/4"). Fine condition. [2] Provenance Property of a London gentleman; acquired before 1970. Footnotes This style of earring became popular during the Hellenistic period as the empires that were established by the successors of Alexander the Great became secure and expanded to include the control of important trade routes from the east. Garnets were largely imported from the India and Sri Lanka and the most productive gold mines were in the south of Egypt. Many native motifs were incorporated with the Greek styles of jewellery and the crescent moon in these earrings may relate to the worship of the Egyptian gods that were becoming an international faith that would spread across the Mediterranean and beyond.
GREEK HELLENISTIC GOLD EARRINGS WITH LUNAR PENDANT DROPS 4th-1st century BC A pair of gold earrings with basket shaped hoops with hinged hook; below a square panel set with garnet with a filigree surround and sliding attachment connected to a half moon set with a white glass cabochon with filigree surround; below a tear drop shaped white glass cabochon with filigree border, four large balls of gold below. 7 grams total, 57mm (2 1/4"). Fine condition. [2] Provenance Property of a London gentleman; acquired before 1970. Footnotes This style of earring became popular during the Hellenistic period as the empires that were established by the successors of Alexander the Great became secure and expanded to include the control of important trade routes from the east. Garnets were largely imported from the India and Sri Lanka and the most productive gold mines were in the south of Egypt. Many native motifs were incorporated with the Greek styles of jewellery and the crescent moon in these earrings may relate to the worship of the Egyptian gods that were becoming an international faith that would spread across the Mediterranean and beyond.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
