This exquisite hair ornament—dating to the first half of the second century B.C.—is made entirely of 24-karat gold! It is a magnificent example of goldsmiths’ art of the Hellenistic period. Notice the head of a female figure that peers out at you from the central medallion. She is a maenad, one of the female consorts of the Greek god, Dionysos. On her head is a crown of vine leaves and grapes. She also wears earrings and a panther skin, an attribute of Dionysos and his followers.

Look closely at the elaborate decoration surrounding the head of the maenad. This delicate gold work is known as filigree, meaning that it’s made from thin, twisted gold wire. You’ll also notice that radiating from the central medallion are spool-shaped beads, linked together to form a series of chains. These would have held the hair in place at the back of a woman’s head, and the clasp at the bottom of the hairnet allowed her to open and close it around her hair. If you look closely, you’ll also see a small loop beneath the maenad. Most likely it was used to attach a decorative tassel.

Just imagine how elegant this ornament would have looked in some well-to-do woman’s hair! No doubt she would’ve worn it with other dazzling jewelry—fine gold jewelry like the spectacular earrings, bracelets, and rings that you see in the display cases before you.