Earring thumbnail 1

Earring

200 BC-100 BC (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A feature of Greek jewellery is the use of gold, solid or of hammered sheet metal, to form sculptural motifs with intricate geometric and floral ornaments. The jewels mainly worn by women to attract the opposite sex included Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Eros or symbolic animals like her attribute, the dove.
Here the gold dove is coloured with enamel and a garnet. Colour became an important aspect of Greek jewellery by the Hellenistic period (323-27 BC).
This type of earring with a dove is common at the end of the Hellenistic period and can still be found during the Roman times.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Earring
  • Earring
Materials and techniques
Gold, with filigree, enamel and garnet
Brief description
Pair of earrings, gold set with garnets hung with doves decorated with filigree and enamel, Greece, 200-100 BC.
Physical description
Pair of earrings, gold set with garnets hung with doves decorated with filigree and enamel.
Style
Production
Found on the island of Milos, Aegean Sea
Subject depicted
Summary
A feature of Greek jewellery is the use of gold, solid or of hammered sheet metal, to form sculptural motifs with intricate geometric and floral ornaments. The jewels mainly worn by women to attract the opposite sex included Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Eros or symbolic animals like her attribute, the dove.
Here the gold dove is coloured with enamel and a garnet. Colour became an important aspect of Greek jewellery by the Hellenistic period (323-27 BC).
This type of earring with a dove is common at the end of the Hellenistic period and can still be found during the Roman times.
Collection
Accession number
7&A-1874

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Record createdApril 20, 2005
Record URL
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