Ancient Faceted Crystal Center Bead with Lapis Lazuli and Gold
Collection:
Mesopotamia
Material:
Lapis Lazuli, Rock Crystal, 24k gold
Size:
The necklace is 19 ½ inches (49.5 cm) in length. The necklace weighs 63.5 gm.
Price:
$8,000.00
A necklace of forty-two round lapis lazuli beads spaced with forty-two two layer gold granulated ring beads with a faceted rock crystal tapered barrel bead with hexagonal cross section at the center. A set of granulated gold beading tips and a hook and eye clasp completes the necklace. The gold is 24k. The spherical lapis lazuli beads are 9 mm-5 mm in diameter and graduate in size towards the back of the necklace. The diameter of the drill holes is 2mm. The quartz bead is 2.4 cm in length, 1.46 cm in width at the center at the widest point and 1.25 cm in width measuring across the flat faces. The end widths are 5 mm and the hole diameter is 2.5 mm. The granulated gold beads are 5 mm in diameter. The beading tips are made from two layers of granulated ring beads of two sizes, the larger stacked on top of the smaller with two flattened grains attached to the rim of the resulting cup form. A circlet of flattened wire attaches onto the two discs forming a loop which becomes the attachment for the hook and eye clasp. The tongue of the hook is flattened and rolled back on itself at the end. Five very small granules form a line behind the lip. The quartz in the rock crystal beads is completely transparent allowing the drill hole to be clearly seen through the sides of the beads. Two holes were drilled from either end and meet just slightly beyond the midpoint. There is a satin finish to the surface, the result of many years of wear. The bead is Bronze Age and is about four thousand years old and comes from what is now present day Afghanistan and Pakistan.