Pair of Byzantine Gold Earrings w/ Garnets & Pearls

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Fine Antiquities, Asian, Ethno, Fine Art

By Artemis Fine Arts

May 1, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-05-01 10:00:00 2025-05-01 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities, Asian, Ethno, Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-ethno-fine-art-19334
Showcasing an extraordinary array of artifacts and art, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial treasures, fossils, fine and visual arts, and more! All ancient items are ethically sourced and legally available for sale. Enjoy the ease of in-house shipping for a seamless experience! Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com

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• Lot Description
  Ancient Near East, Byzantine Empire, ca. 6th to 7th century CE. This exceptional pair of Byzantine earrings showcases the era's opulence and refined artistry. Crafted from high-karat gold (86.7 to 96.7%), each earring features a sophisticated design blending lunar and cruciform elements. A gold hoop suspends a substantial cord of intricately interlaced gold wires, bordered by two spool-shaped caps. Below this, a crescent moon and a cross, both beautifully inlaid with deep red garnets, take center stage. Adding delicate brilliance, petite pearls are set within the center of both the crescent and the cross. Further enhancing their allure, pearls dangle gracefully from each tip of the crescent and from three arms of the cross, suspended by fine gold wires. These earrings are a testament to Byzantine wealth and the exquisite skill of their goldsmiths and jewelers. Size (both about the same): 3.25" L x 0.75" W (8.3 cm x 1.9 cm); gold quality: 86.7% to 96.7% (20.8 to 23.2 karats); total weight: 11.2 grams
  
  Byzantine jewelry was renowned for its opulence and vibrant colors, frequently incorporating garnets, gold, and pearls. Gold, readily available within the empire's borders, served as the primary metal, expertly worked into intricate designs like the characteristic Byzantine chain. Garnets, often imported from the East, were favored for their deep red hues and were cut into polished cabochons, becoming central elements in rings, brooches, and pendants. Pearls, sourced from India, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea, were highly prized for their rarity and association with light, often used as dangling ornaments, embellishments on crowns and clothing, and set alongside gemstones to enhance their brilliance. The combination of these materials reflected the empire's wealth, its extensive trade networks, and the skilled craftsmanship of its artisans, resulting in jewelry that was both a symbol of status and a display of artistic mastery.
  
  Cf. Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 1991.1021a-b.
  
  Provenance: ex-T.F. Holy Lands collection, formed since the 1960s
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.)
  
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  #193207

  Condition

  Some chipping and fissures or possible repairs to garnet inlays. Some light bending to gold and earthen encrustations to surface. Otherwise, intact and excellent with impressive preservation of detail.
• Shipping Info

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