Description

This attractive necklace of gold and vividly coloured amethyst could be worn today. Its bright purple beads could have been shaped at any time in Egyptian history, though amethyst was particularly popular during the Middle Kingdom. The varying tones and degrees of weathering of the various stones suggest that they come from many sources. The gilded glass beads, however, are from the Roman period. The necklace itself might be a modern restringing of an ancient necklace, or, more probably, is a pastiche of amethyst beads from various periods with Roman golden glass beads.