A SASANIAN ROCK CRYSTAL BEAD WITH A TWISTED GOLD SETTING

拍品描述

A SASANIAN GOLD-MOUNTED ROCK CRYSTAL BEAD PENDANT, PERSIA, CIRCA 5TH-7TH CENTURY A.D. Of ovoid form, the translucent rock crystal bead pierced longitudinally and held within a cage of twisted gold wire. Four lengths of ropework filigree descend from the suspension collar to a small gold bead at the base, dividing the crystal into vertical segments and securing it within its mount. Above, the wires gather into a tightly wound collar of twisted gold, from which rises a plain circular suspension loop, its terminal wrapped twice around the shank to close the ring. The crystal retains a soft cloudiness with faint internal veils and light surface pitting consistent with age. The construction relies on two principal goldsmithing techniques: the drawing and twisting of fine gold wire into ropework, and the use of a plain hoop suspension closed by wrapping rather than soldering. The cage form both protects the bead and displays it, allowing light to pass through the crystal while framing it in a decorative armature. The small granulated bead at the lower terminal serves as a finial and secures the meeting point of the descending wires. Rock crystal was prized across the Sasanian world for its clarity and its association with water, purity, and light. The material was worked into seals, vessels, and beads, and travelled widely along the trade routes that connected the Sasanian empire with Central Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. Gold in this period was reserved for jewellery of status, and the combination of a clear crystal core within a wire cage is a form found in Sasanian and early Byzantine contexts alike, reflecting the shared vocabulary of luxury adornment across the late antique world. The technique of twisted-wire ropework, in particular, is a hallmark of Sasanian goldsmithing, seen on earrings, pendants, and necklace elements recovered from sites across the Iranian plateau and Mesopotamia. This pendant exemplifies the restrained luxury of Sasanian personal ornament, in which a single translucent stone is elevated by a spare but confident armature of worked gold. The pairing of rock crystal with ropework filigree is characteristic of the period's approach to jewellery, where material clarity and precise wirework are given precedence over dense figural decoration. Dimensions: Height 5.2 cm

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