1991.75.90, Necklace, Greece, 2nd century B.C.E., gold, glass


GENERAL DESCRIPTION  
On this ancient Greek necklace, globular glass beads in green, blue, red, and translucent colors alternate with white glass beads in the shape of dumbbells. Two cylindrical tubes made from ribbed gold, one larger than the other, form the finials at each end of the necklace.

This necklace illustrates a fundamental change in Greek jewelry during the 2nd century BCE: colored effects were no longer applied only to enhance naturalistic decorative motifs and details such as the petals of a flower or the eye of an animal; they were now used in their own right. The bright colors of precious stones were set off against the warm shades of the gold. Although naturalistic motifs continued to be used, they were no longer the preeminent factor in Greek jewelry. The abstract combination of different materials and colors became more and more important.

Adapted from
Barbara Deppert-Lippitz, Ancient Gold Jewelry at the Dallas Museum of Art (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art in association with the University of Washington Press, 1996), 65; 138.

NOTES

Cultures

Geography 

Process/materials

Historical periods

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RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
Until 1989: probably Collection of Dr. Athos Moretti, Switzerland [1]

1989-1991: Collection of Robert Haber, New York, New York [2]

From 1991: Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.

[1] based on existing provenance entry in TMS
[2] See printed email exchange between Andrew Oliver and Anne Bromberg, dated August 3, 2012, found in Collections Record Object file 1991.75.53

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General Description
 
On this ancient Greek necklace, globular glass beads in green, blue, red, and translucent colors alternate with white glass beads in the shape of dumbbells. Two cylindrical tubes made from ribbed gold, one larger than the other, form the finials at each end of the necklace.

This necklace illustrates a fundamental change in Greek jewelry during the 2nd century BCE: colored effects were no longer applied only to enhance naturalistic decorative motifs and details such as the petals of a flower or the eye of an animal; they were now used in their own right. The bright colors of precious stones were set off against the warm shades of the gold. Although naturalistic motifs continued to be used, they were no longer the preeminent factor in Greek jewelry. The abstract combination of different materials and colors became more and more important.

Adapted from
Barbara Deppert-Lippitz, Ancient Gold Jewelry at the Dallas Museum of Art (Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art in association with the University of Washington Press, 1996), 65; 138.

Fun Facts

Archival Resources

Web Resources
 

Notes

Cultures

Geography 

Process/materials

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
Until 1989: probably Collection of Dr. Athos Moretti, Switzerland [1]

1989-1991: Collection of Robert Haber, New York, New York [2]

From 1991: Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.

[1] based on existing provenance entry in TMS
[2] See printed email exchange between Andrew Oliver and Anne Bromberg, dated August 3, 2012, found in Collections Record Object file 1991.75.53

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS

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Objects
number
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1991.75.90
tags
#draft
#completed
%copyedited_Gail
*Classical Art
@Bowling
necklaces: AAT: 300046001
%Archived
jewelry: AAT: 300209286
glass (material): AAT: 300010797
metalwork: AAT: 300015336
color (perceived attribute): AAT: 300056130
goldwork: AAT: 300044045
gold (metal): AAT: 300011021
metalworking: AAT: 300053946
Greece_Ancient: TGN: 7594735
ancient (style and period): AAT: 300106711
beads (pierced objects): AAT: 300234006
Ancient Greek (culture or style): AAT: 300020072
source file
object_notes_3_c-0181.xml.nores