Bead thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Bead

c. 1550 BC - c. 1077 BC (made)
Place of origin

Green glazed composition bead, now broken, in the form of a palm leaf with a midrib and veins.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Glazed composition
Brief description
Bead, green glazed composition, Egypt, possibly New Kingdom
Physical description
Green glazed composition bead, now broken, in the form of a palm leaf with a midrib and veins.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1.6cm
  • Width: 0.8cm
Styles
Marks and inscriptions
Transliteration
.
Object history
The Reverend Greville John Chester (1830-1892), born in Denton, Norfolk, studied at Oxford and became an ordained clergyman before sickness forced him to retire in 1865. For his ailing health, he was encouraged to travel to Egypt, making his first visit that year; he subsequently travelled there almost every year until his death, alongside journeys elsewhere across the Mediterranean and Near East. Each year, Chester bought items en masse, to sell or donate to British institutions upon returning. His acquisitions form a considerable backbone of the early holdings at the V&A, British Museum, Ashmolean and Fitzwilliam. His contributions to the Victoria and Albert Museum incorporate both ancient and Islamic artefacts, predominantly but not exclusively purchased in Egypt; the most significant acquisitions include several hundred fragments of Late Antique textiles from Akhmim, given to the museum between 1887 and 1892. Chester was widely regarded as having a keen eye for acquisitions, and cultivated close friendships with several prominent Egyptologists. He was also notable for recording the provenance of many ancient items he purchased, an unusual practice for the time.
Collection
Accession number
319X-1867

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 Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis.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 createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest