Description:

Near East / Holy Land, Byzantine Empire, ca. 9th to early 13th century CE. A pair of 20K gold earrings that display timeless beauty. Each consists of a gold wire curved into a double-S shape with a hollow ball hanging beneath it from a loop made of extremely fine, wrapped gold wire. Wearable as they are! Size: 1.5" L x .25" W (3.8 cm x 0.6 cm); 3.6 grams for the pair

During the 7th to 9th centuries, the Byzantine Empire was in a state of economic and social crisis, repeatedly rocked by invasions, plagues, famines, and other disasters - a time period often called "The Dark Ages." Emerging from that period, it seems that the people of the Byzantine Empire wished to flaunt their wealth and embellish themselves with beautiful things. For example, in excavations of Byzantine graves from this period at Thessaloniki, jewelry like these earrings are found in the graves of women. This would have been a treasured item for a person living in this optimistic, dynamic time.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#127431

  • Condition: Slight divot on surface of one. Light patina. Wearable.

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November 21, 2017 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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