Glass gold-band mosaic bead

Unknown

1st century BCE–1st century CE · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Translucent dark-colored ground, possibly blue (?) appearing black; mosaic bands in translucent turquoise green, cobalt blue, honey yellow, opaque white, and colorless with gold leaf. Biconical with convex-curving side, pierced vertically; ground layer thick at one end forming a narrow collar; mosaic overlay extending to edge of hole at the other. Mosaic pattern in differently-colored parallel strips: turquoise partially layered with white, colorless enclosing gold-leaf, blue with central white stripe, yellow flanked with white; repeated three times in a spiral. Complete, except for chipping at one end and some surface cracks; slight weathering, iridescence, pitting, and dulling.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st century BCE–1st century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Roman, Egypt, Alexandria

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Purchase, 1915