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Author Topic: Glass Bead, Phoenician or Roman?  (Read 2984 times)

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Offline v-drome

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Glass Bead, Phoenician or Roman?
« on: March 02, 2017, 04:14:22 pm »
Hi, all.  Here is a very nice glass bead from the beach, probably near Caesarea Maritima.  In other words, it could be almost any age.  I have been reading articles on beads but the subject is very complex, especially since they were traded and copied in so many cultures.  Any opinions or information would be appreciated.

BCC BD1
Glass Bead
2nd Century BCE?-3rd cent.CE?
Caesarea Maritima
Annular bead with three colors and an
eye? pattern that repeats 3 times around
the circumference.  Each pattern has a yellow border
enclosing two blue/green dots, slightly offset (the spot
on the left is higher than the one on the right), on a
matrix of dark red glass, mixed with some black.  The
hole in the bead has some ridges, but I am not certain
if these are from cutting, or from erosion.  The surfaces
of the bead show much pitting, probably from the effects
of exposure to acidic rain water over thousands of years.
12.0x7.0mm.  2.47gm.

Click for higher resolution

I will try to get some better photos of the interior.
Thanks, V-drome

Offline gallienus1

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Re: Glass Bead, Phoenician or Roman?
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2017, 07:54:36 am »
I can’t claim to be an expert but it does certainly look ancient. The picture of some Phoenician beads is from a site on the history of coloured glass-

http://www.stravagante-jewelry.com/murano-glass-jewelry-beads-history.html

The similarities with your find are certainly there, but to my inexpert eye Roman beads and Medieval Islamic beads also appear similar. But I must say looking at your bead I get a strong feeling that it is ancient.

Best regards,
Steve


Offline v-drome

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Re: Glass Bead, Phoenician or Roman?
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2017, 01:07:49 pm »
Wow!  Neat article.  Thank you, Steve.

 

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