Necklace composed of antique glass beads
dating from the Roman through the
Byzantine periods.
The love of ornament is as old as
civilization itself. By wearing jewelry
that is unusual or unique, we define
ourselves as individuals and set
ourselves apart from the crowd.
Throughout antiquity, in every great
culture, beads were formed from colored
gems, glass, ceramic, shell, bone and
metal in an endless variety of shapes
and sizes. Sometimes they were worn for
their magical or curative powers, at
other times simply for their beauty.
They were worn by people, highborn and
low, the citizen of Egypt, Mesopotamia,
Judea, Greece, Rome and Byzantium.
Frequently these jewels, so prized in
life, were buried with their owners to
adorn them through eternity. When we
wear them today, we add another chapter
to their long and fascinating history.
- (SB.0171)
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