Glass mosaic face bead
Uncertain color, appearing black, and opaque white; details in opaque white and red, and translucent blue and deep purple, appearing black.
Spherical with vertical large hole.
Around center of bead, four mosaic sections arranged horizontally in a band, each showing the same female face framed by black and white striped hair, with almond-shaped eyes, eyebrows, nose, and slit mouth with red lips; the faces are enclosed in a narrow white circle set on a blue ground.
Intact; slight pitting, weathering, and iridescence.
Spherical with vertical large hole.
Around center of bead, four mosaic sections arranged horizontally in a band, each showing the same female face framed by black and white striped hair, with almond-shaped eyes, eyebrows, nose, and slit mouth with red lips; the faces are enclosed in a narrow white circle set on a blue ground.
Intact; slight pitting, weathering, and iridescence.
Artwork Details
- Title: Glass mosaic face bead
- Period: Early Imperial
- Date: 1st century CE
- Culture: Roman, Egyptian
- Medium: Glass
- Dimensions: Diam.: 9/16 in. (1.5 cm)
- Classification: Glass
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1952
- Object Number: 52.11.15
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
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3rd century CE
late 1st–2nd century CE
ca. 50–80 CE
Ennion
1st half of 1st century CE
2nd century CE
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