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534.4. Face Bead

Accession Number 2003.259
Dimensions H. 1.2, max. Diam. 1.35 cm, Wt. 2.70 g
Date First century CE
Production Area Eastern Mediterranean, probably Egypt
Modeling Technique and Decoration Wound around a mandrel and inlaid with sections of mosaic composite canes

Condition

Intact

Description

The upper and lower parts of the bead appear black now but were originally dark green. There is no base mass, and the back side of the mosaic sections is visible. In the thread hole, the bands appear to have been added onto the central band, which is dark colored. There are three female busts with short hair and necklaces, in a now-white, most probably purple field, outlined in red. The additional plaques are three squares, each filled with four triangular elements facing to the center: two yellow facing each other, and one red and one green facing each other.

Comments and Comparanda

On mosaic face beads, see comments on cat. 534 and 535. For provenance, bibliography, and exhibitions, see group entry, cat. 534.