I think ancient
Re: Help with knowledge bead ID -- Kai Post Reply Edit Forum Where am I?
Posted by: Will Post Reply
10/12/2015, 07:10:51

Hi Kai,

This looks like an authentic bead to me; the structure, the glass, the wear all seem appropriate to an early Islamic Syrian dating. It's in very good condition and quite valuable, if it is indeed from that time period. I've seen good reproductions of these beads but so far none as convincing as this.

The point that Floor makes about the yellow glass is worth noting. However, it mainly applies to very early ancient glass beads, the so-called Phoenicians, where 80 or 90% of the yellow is that darker shade I associate with a good egg yolk. Even then there were exceptions, especially north of the Black Sea. Yankee would know much more about this than I do.

But by early Islamic times, a thousand plus years later, I think we see a much wider range in shades of yellow - as on this morfia from Egypt that I'll attach.

Best,

Will

Will:Morfia:WA303hs.jpg (55.4 KB)  


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