Glass ornaments

Helladic, Mycenaean

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 151

Group of thirty-seven ornaments, of seven different designs.
1. One example. Translucent blue.
Thin, vertical rectangular panel; flat back; tapering edges at sides; horizontal bar at top and bottom, both pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole.
Molded decoration on front: fine vertical ribs on top and bottom bars; in central panel, a single, large ear-shaped motif (stylized ivy leaf) in high relief with pointed tip to left.
Intact; but tiny weathered chips in edges; pitting, creamy white weathering, and iridescence.
2. One example. Translucent blue green.
Thin, vertical rectangular panel; flat back; tapering edges at sides; horizontal bar at top and bottom, both pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole.
Molded decoration on front: fine vertical ribs on top and bottom bars; in central panel, two six-petaled rosettes.
Intact; creamy white weathering and iridescence.
3. Two examples. Translucent blue.
Thin, vertical diamond-shaped panel; flat back; tapering edges at sides; at top and bottom pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole.
Molded decoration on front: raised lines issue from top and bottom, ending in two rows of horizontal dots across middle, imitating floral sprays.
One intact, the other complete but broken and repaired at top; creamy weathering and iridescence.
4. Three examples. Translucent blue.
Thin, vertical rectangular panel with round bottom edge; flat back; tapering edges at sides; horizontal bar at top, pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole; another hole through panel behind the dot motif.
Molded decoration on front: two groups of four fine vertical ribs on top bar; below, wavy pattern of two pairs of thin relief lines, ending at bottom in a spiral surrounding a large dot.
Two intact, one complete but repaired across top bar; pitting, creamy weathering, and iridescence.
5. Five examples. Translucent blue.
Thin, vertical, roughly triangular panel; flat back; tapering edges at sides; narrow horizontal bar at top and another wider bar at bottom, both pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole.
Molded decoration on front: three fine vertical ribs on top bar; five sets of pairs of ribs on bottom bar; at center, disk, outlined in small relief dots, with a fine spiral line surrounding a central depression.
All intact, but one chipped at bottom right corner; varying degrees of creamy weathering and iridescence.
6. Six examples. Translucent blue.
Thin, vertical panel; flat back; tapering edges at sides; horizontal bar in high relief at top and bottom, both pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole.
Molded decoration on front: four fine vertical ribs on bars; at center, disk, outlined in small relief dots, with a fine spiral line surrounding a central depression, and a row of slanting dots below.
All intact, but one chipped at bottom right corner; varying degrees of creamy weathering and iridescence.
7. Nineteen examples. Translucent blue and light blue.
Thin, vertical rectangular panel with round bottom edge; flat back; tapering edges at sides; horizontal bar at top, pierced lengthwise with a small horizontal hole; another hole through panel behind boss motif.
Molded decoration on front: fine vertical ribs on top bar; below, three panels, divided horizontally by a row of short ribs and framed at sides by a single relief line, each containing a spiral and central projecting pointed boss.
Fifteen intact, one complete but broken and repaired, three fragmentary (one with only the bottom two panels surviving, the other two missing rounded bottom); varying degrees of pitting, creamy weathering, and iridescence.
Not all nineteen were made in the shape mold since they vary in width.

The group is displayed in the gallery along with 25.78.21:
These ornaments represent the most characteristic motifs among Mycenaean glass ornaments. The presence of miniscule holes through these elements indicates that they were strung together, and evidence from excavations shows that they were worn as diadems and as necklaces. The various curl patterns probably belonged to diadems.

Glass ornaments, Glass, Helladic, Mycenaean

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Group shot of 23.160.49 and 25.78.21