Earring thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Earring

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

The goat-heads are formed in embossed sheet gold halves (left and right) and are detailled. The eyes were probably once enamelled. The necks are decorated with filigree. The hoop is formed of plain wires all hammered into a single wire at the point. The loop in the goat's mouth links to the end of the hoop.

Representations of woman wearing similar earrings on terracottas and bronze mirrors suggest that most of these earrings were worn with the head at the front but upside-down.

Lion-head earrings are the earliest type in the long series of animal-head hoop earrings. They seem to have been first developped in Etruria (Italy) but have been found everywhere in the Greek world.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Earring
  • Earring
Materials and techniques
Gold, wires
Brief description
Pair of loop earrings with the head of a goat, Greek world, about 350-200 BC; gold, with twisted wires
Physical description
Pair of loop earrings with the head of a goat, Greek world, about 350-200 BC; gold, with twisted wires
Style
Subject depicted
Summary
The goat-heads are formed in embossed sheet gold halves (left and right) and are detailled. The eyes were probably once enamelled. The necks are decorated with filigree. The hoop is formed of plain wires all hammered into a single wire at the point. The loop in the goat's mouth links to the end of the hoop.

Representations of woman wearing similar earrings on terracottas and bronze mirrors suggest that most of these earrings were worn with the head at the front but upside-down.

Lion-head earrings are the earliest type in the long series of animal-head hoop earrings. They seem to have been first developped in Etruria (Italy) but have been found everywhere in the Greek world.
Collection
Accession number
M.1029&A-1910

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdApril 28, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest