6 Beads with Granulated Decoration in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2017

Six Beads with Granulated Decoration,ca. 1st–2nd century


Object Details

Date: ca. 1st–2nd century

Culture: India or Bactria

Medium: Gold with granulation

Dimensions: a (11810): L. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Diam. 3/8 in. (1 cm)
b (11811): Diam. 1/2 in. (1.2 cm): Th. 5/16 in. (0.8 cm)
c (11813): Diam. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm)
d–f (11814; 1-3), each: Diam. 1/4 in. (0.6 cm)

Classification: Gold

Credit Line: Lent by Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Museum


Faceted beads have been found at ancient sites in Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and China, suggesting that they were highly sought-after trade items. Recent finds from Afghanistan link these beads to ancient Bactria and Persia, two cultures with a long tradition of refined jewelry production.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/640937