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Name:

Ancient Lapis, Carnelian and Gold Tube Beads with Gold Capped Carnelian Center


Collection:

Mesopotamia


Material:

Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, 20k gold


Size:

The necklace is 22 ¾ inches (57.8 cm) in length. The necklace weighs 26 gm.


Price:

$5,000.00


 

 

Description

 

A necklace of sixteen cylindrical gold tube beads alternating with cylindrical tube beads of lapis lazuli and tapered barrel beads carnelian. There is a gold capped tabular carnelian bead at the center of the necklace. The gold caps are collared with a border of wire surrounding the perforation. The ten lapis lazuli cylindrical tube beads are faced with small lapis disc beads that are separated by pairs of gold granulated ring beads, forty in all. The carnelian beads are each faced with a gold tube bead. A set of gold beading tips and a hook and eye clasp complete the necklace. The tabular carnelian bead is 1.9 cm in length, 1.8 cm in width at the center and 5 mm in thickness. The drill hole diameter is 3.5 mm. There is some minor chipping around the edge of the bead and on one face. It is very transparent and the drill holes can be seen to meet in the center of the bead. The tapered carnelian barrel beads range in size from 1.5 cm in length to 7.5 mm, the front four being 1.35 cm – 1.4 cm in length and 4.5 mm in diameter at the center. The end widths are 3mm and hole diameters are 2 mm. The carnelian barrel bead, second from the back, is 7.8 mm in length, 5 mm in width at the center and with end diameters of 3.5 mm, (hole diameter 2 mm). The bead opposite is 8 mm in length, 4.4 mm in width at the center, and with end diameters of 3.5 mm. The larger carnelian tube to the back is 1.25 cm in length, 3.8 mm in diameter and with a hole diameter of 2 mm. The smaller is 9.9 mm in length 3.9 mm in diameter and has a hole diameter of 2 mm. The lapis tube beads are 1.55 cm – 1.3 mm in length with diameters of 4.5 mm – 4 mm. The drill hole diameters are large – 2.5 mm. The pair of round beads facing the capped center bead are 3 mm in length and 4 mm in diameter. The granulated ring beads and the lapis disc beads are 4 mm in diameter. All the stone beads have large drill holes indicating an early date. The tabular carnelian bead in the center has a hole of 3.5 mm in diameter, certainly a Bronze Age bead from four thousand years ago. The lapis tubes and the carnelian tapered barrels may be slightly later Bronze Age beads. The red jasper bead to the left of the center in the photograph is notable.