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Gold armband with Herakles knot

3rd–2nd century BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 163
The Herakles knot on this sumptuous armband is enriched with floral decoration and inlaid with garnets, emeralds, and enamel. According to the Roman writer Pliny, the decorative device of the Herakles knot could cure wounds, and its popularity in Hellenistic jewelry suggests that it was thought to have the power to avert evil.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Gold armband with Herakles knot
  • Period: Hellenistic
  • Date: 3rd–2nd century BCE
  • Culture: Greek
  • Medium: Gold inlaid with garnets, emeralds, and enamel
  • Dimensions: 3 1/2in. (8.9cm)
  • Classification: Gold and Silver
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Christos G. Bastis Gift, 1999
  • Object Number: 1999.209
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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