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Pendant Earrings with Crosses
Byzantine
Early Byzantine
early 6th to early 7th century
Medium/Technique
Gold, glass paste and pearls
Dimensions
7.1 cm L 2.2 cm W
Credit Line
Gift of John J. Herrmann, Jr.
Accession Number1991.1021a-b
CollectionsEurope, Jewelry, Ancient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Earrings, flares, plugs, studs
DescriptionA pair of complex gold pendant earrings. Open tapered hoops have beads with holes to insert the thinner ends in. Two small rings, each with a globule, are soldered on the underside of each hoop to hold the chains of the pendants. Made of the figure “8” loop-in-loop chains differ in length, shorter on the front pendants and longer on the back ones. Each pendant holds a cross. Crosses are made of strips of gold sheet arranged into 5 cells, four for the cross arms (lower bars a little longer) and round ones for the center (one is more squarish). The cells are filled with green and red glass paste.
The crosses are further embellished with pearls. At the top of the crosses there were two pearls held by short gold wires with the end twists; the bottom of the crosses have small rings soldered one each to the underside the cross arms and one to the lower bar, each ring holds a pearl on a
gold link-and-coil wire ending in a twist. Many pearls are missing and some are modern.
The crosses are further embellished with pearls. At the top of the crosses there were two pearls held by short gold wires with the end twists; the bottom of the crosses have small rings soldered one each to the underside the cross arms and one to the lower bar, each ring holds a pearl on a
gold link-and-coil wire ending in a twist. Many pearls are missing and some are modern.
Provenance1981, sold by Frieda Tchakos (dealer), Zurich, to John J. Herrmann, Jr., Dedham, MA; December 4, 1991, gift of John J. Herrmann, Jr. to the MFA [see note]. (Accession Date: January 22, 1992)
NOTE: Object loaned to MFA in 1985.
NOTE: Object loaned to MFA in 1985.