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The humble bead has been an element of jewelry for more than 100,000 years. In this necklace, created more than 4,000 years ago, six double rows of truncated, cylindrical, steatite beads, originally glazed greenish-blue, are separated by rows of gold beads. The row at the top includes rare stones like turquoise, possibly from mines in the Sinai Peninsula, and lapis lazuli likely from northeastern Afghanistan. It demonstrates the wide range of materials found in Egyptian jewelry and the variety of shapes that the culture’s expert craftspeople fabricated. Around the outer edge of the collar is a row of long, narrow gold beads in the shape of beetles, symbolizing resurrection. Each end is finished with a semicircular gold terminal inscribed for the wearer, Ptahshepses Impy, an official of King Pepy II. The collar imitates in precious materials a floral garland worn at a banquet, composed of ephemeral materials like berries and the petals of the blue water lily with the thoraxes of insects added for their luster. In contrast, the gold and gemstones are meant to last forever in the afterlife.
Wesekh broadcollar
Egyptian
Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6, reign of Neferkara Pepy II
2246–2152 B.C.
Findspot: Egypt, Giza, Tomb of Impy, G 2381 A
Medium/Technique
Gold, steatite, turquoise, lapis lazuli
Dimensions
Height x width x depth: 17.4 x 17.5 x 2.5 cm (6 7/8 x 6 7/8 x 1 in.)
Credit Line
Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
Accession Number13.3086
CollectionsJewelry, Ancient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Necklaces and neck bands
The humble bead has been an element of jewelry for more than 100,000 years. In this necklace, created more than 4,000 years ago, six double rows of truncated, cylindrical, steatite beads, originally glazed greenish-blue, are separated by rows of gold beads. The row at the top includes rare stones like turquoise, possibly from mines in the Sinai Peninsula, and lapis lazuli likely from northeastern Afghanistan. It demonstrates the wide range of materials found in Egyptian jewelry and the variety of shapes that the culture’s expert craftspeople fabricated. Around the outer edge of the collar is a row of long, narrow gold beads in the shape of beetles, symbolizing resurrection. Each end is finished with a semicircular gold terminal inscribed for the wearer, Ptahshepses Impy, an official of King Pepy II. The collar imitates in precious materials a floral garland worn at a banquet, composed of ephemeral materials like berries and the petals of the blue water lily with the thoraxes of insects added for their luster. In contrast, the gold and gemstones are meant to last forever in the afterlife.
DescriptionConsisting of six double rows of truncated, cylindrical, glazed-steatite beads, separated by single rows of gold ball beads; bottom row consists of gilded beetles. Each end is finished with a semicircular gold terminal inscribed for Impy, identified as HAtj-a jmj-r kAt, "count, overseer of works." More than half of this necklace was found intact and the remainder has been restored accordingly.
ProvenanceFrom Giza G 2381 A (tomb of Impy). 1912: excavated by the Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition; assigned to the MFA in the division of finds by the government of Egypt.
(Accession date: December 4, 1913)
(Accession date: December 4, 1913)