Hollow tubular bracelet
Medium:Gold
Geography: Eastern Mediterranean
Date: c. 500-700 AD
Period: Byzantine period
Dimensions:1.1 x 8 cm, 22.542 g
Object number: 951.166.1
Gallery Location:Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Gallery of Byzantium
DescriptionJewellery was not only an outward sign of faith and wealth but also of status. Finely crafted, heavy gold rings and belts also represented a person's elevated rank in life. They help us to imaging the highest social circles in Byzantium. How much did jewellery cost in Byzantium? A papyrus from Egypt sheds light on the price of Byzantine gold jewellery in AD 549. For instance, a pair of gold earrings cost 8 solidi and a gold chain sold for 20 solidi. At that time, a common soldier received an annual salary of 4 solidi, while bread for one year cost 1 solidi.
