An exquisite necklace wrought from sheet in pierced-work technique and set with semiprecious stones. The square plaques and the oval ornaments are mounted with sapphires, garnets and emeralds, while the smaller circular mounts are set with pearls. The central plaque frames a large rectangular emerald. Incised on the back of some of the plaques are letters of the Greek alphabet, the use of which is unclear (they do not stand for numbers, nor do they form an inscription). The necklace comes from a tomb at Ancient Marion (Arsinoe) in Cyprus. It was found together with many other pieces of gold and silver jewellery of comparable art and value presumably belonging to a high-ranking female. The crafting technique suggests influences from Syrian workshops of the 3rd and 4th c. AD.
by Lettered_Olive