Glass bracelet

Unknown

ca. 2nd half of 6th century BCE or later · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Translucent cobalt blue. Open circular band; round in section, tapering towards ends. Intact but broken, weathered ends; elongated bubbles; dulling, pitting, and patches of creamy weathering and iridescence. Most ancient glass bracelets are closed circles—for the obvious reason that they were much stronger and less likely to break than open ones such as this example. The few parallels that are known include a pair of bracelets in the Lydian Treasure that are decorated with gold lion's-head terminals and strung with a gold chain. It is very likely that this bracelet, too, had decorative finials.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 2nd half of 6th century BCE or later

Medium

Glass

Culture

East Greek or Lydian

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1881