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Name:

Ancient Lapis, Carnelian, and Gold Tube Beads


Collection:

Mesopotamia


Material:

Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, 24k gold


Size:

The necklace is 19 7/8 inches (50.5 cm) in length . The necklace weighs 21.1 gm.


Price:

$4,250.00


 

 

Description

 

A necklace alternating gold cylinder beads with tubes of lapis lazuli and carnelian with granulated gold spacers and short lapis and carnelian beads facing them. There are fourteen short and six long gold tube beads. There are seven long carnelian beads and fourteen small ones. There are fourteen long lapis lazuli beads and fourteen small. Forty-two granulated ring beads are used to separate the long and short beads of lapis and carnelian. Gold beading tips and a hook and eye clasp complete the necklace. The gold is 24k. The largest carnelian tube bead in the center of the necklace is 1.65 cm in length, 4.6 mm in width at the center, and the end width is 3.3 mm. The drill hole diameter is 1.8 mm. It has whitening on its surface from exposure to alkaline soil and is probably about two thousand years old. The next carnelian tapered barrel bead back on the left side in the photograph is 1 cm in length 4.3 mm wide at the center, 3.3 mm in width at the ends and has a drill hole diameter of 2.3 mm. This bead appears to be from (size, form and drill hole indicate the earliest period) about four thousand years old. The next carnelian barrel bead back is 1 cm in length 4 mm wide at the center , 3 mm width at the ends and a drill hole diameter of 2.3 mm. This is very similar to the previous in size and form but the material is opaque jasper. The last bead is also jasper and is 7.5 mm in length, 4 mm wide at the center, 3 mm width at the ends and with a drill hole diameter of 2 mm. The smallest bead on the right: Length 8.5 mm, width at center 4 mm, width at ends 3.4 mm, hole diameter 2.3 mm. The material is jasper. The next to the last on the right- Length 9.8 mm, width at center 4 mm, width at ends 3 mm, hole diameter 2 mm. The material is jasper. The next carnelian barrel forward, Length 8.5 mm, width at center 5 mm – 3.2 mm (flattened and with surface chips), end widths 3.2 mm, hole diameter 1.8 mm. Carnelian with surface wear and chipping). The small carnelian beads are 3.2 mm in diameter and 2 mm in length, with hole diameters of 2 mm. The lapis lazuli tubes range in size from 1.15 cm in length to 5 mm. The diameters range from 4.1 mm to 3.1 mm. The hole diameters are large - 2.8 mm. The lapis beads have some whitening on their surface from burial. They appear to be Bronze Age beads as are most of the carnelian and jasper tapered barrels and the small carnelian beads.