Bidspirit auction | Egyptian Multi-Stranded Faience Mummy Bead
Egyptian Multi-Stranded Faience Mummy Bead Necklace - Late Period, 664-525 B.C. Composed of polychrome beads in shades of brown annular shapes; modern clasp. Cf. similar specimens in faience at the Worcester Art Gallery, inventory no.1925.539. 31 grams, 72 cm long (28 3/8 in.). Acquired before 1979.From the private collection of Mr F. A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014. For thousands of years, artisans in Egypt created vibrant ceramics to echo the beauty of rare jewels. These ornaments were created with almost every material, colour and texture imaginable and they come from across Egypt and beyond: vibrant blue lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, glossy black obsidian from Turkey, and aqua-green turquoise from the Sinai. They were worn in life and, after death, they served as precious ornamentation for mummies. [No Reserve]