A Choker Necklace of Ancient Persian Faience and Ancient Indo-Pacific Trade Wind Beads
This 18" choker necklace is made of Old Faience beads and amulets, put together with the brick-red Indo-Pacific Trade Wind Beads.
There is some uncertainty about the nature of the faience beads. Purchased at an auction as ancient Egyptian faience, nevertheless, these beads appear to be of later production. According to expert opinion, they likely come from Persia and date somewhere between the second and 6th centuries AD. The beads show they age - on many beads the glaze is almost gone, but they retain the beauty only enhanced by age and wear. The beads are light blue, some with beige and purple tint, with the remnants of blue glaze visible on some beads more than on others.
Indo-Pacific Trade Wind beads were widely traded across the Pacific since antiquity, and are found in many places, from South-East Asia to The Mediterranean. While their exact history is not known, they are commonly dated to 8-12c AD.
The faience beads vary from about 12x12 to 8x8 mm. The central pendant/amulet is 20 x 14mm including bail. The red Indo-Pacific beads are about 5mm in diameter, some round, some barrel-shaped, some cylindrical.
This necklace is completed with a simple sterling silver lobster clasp.
