Beads

Unknown

ca. 9th century BCE · Shell, stone · Ancient Near Eastern Art

Three different types of beads have been strung together in this necklace: long tubular stone beads, smaller circular spacers, and cowrie shells. It is not known how the beads were originally worn in antiquity, since any string or other material that would have held them together has long since disintegrated. Beads were worn as jewelry and sewn to clothing as early as the Neolithic period in the ancient Near East.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 9th century BCE

Medium

Shell, stone

Culture

Iran

Department

Ancient Near Eastern Art

Credit line

Purchase, Mrs. Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff Gift, 1961