Antik romer glas Halskæde af perler - 68 cm (Ingen mindstepris)

Ancient Roman Glass Bead Necklace

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: 1st–3rd Century A.D.
Material: Glass
Dimensions: 680 mm
Condition: God stand

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Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 144

The current owner purchased this Ancient Roman Glass Bead Necklace from a private collector, Hans L., in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, a private collector from Eindhoven, stated that the necklace had been part of his collection since the 1990s.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands before 1990.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available.

Background Information:

This necklace consists of a strand of ancient Roman glass beads dating to the 1st–3rd century A.D. Glass bead necklaces were among the most popular forms of personal adornment throughout the Roman Empire and were worn by people from a wide range of social backgrounds. They combined decorative appeal with personal expression and formed an important part of everyday jewellery.

The Roman period was marked by significant developments in glass production. Following the introduction and refinement of glass-blowing techniques during the early Imperial period, glass became more widely available than ever before. In addition to vessels and household objects, Roman workshops produced large quantities of beads in numerous shapes, sizes, and colours. The vivid blue, green, white, and multicoloured examples commonly found in Roman contexts were achieved through the careful addition of mineral compounds during manufacture.

Glass beads were produced in specialised workshops throughout the Empire and distributed through extensive commercial networks. Raw materials, finished products, and skilled craftsmen moved between regions, ensuring that Roman glassware became one of the most widely traded manufactured goods of antiquity. Such objects were traded across large distances, reaching regions such as present-day Germany and the Netherlands.

Jewellery occupied an important place in Roman daily life. Necklaces assembled from glass beads offered an attractive and affordable alternative to ornaments made from precious stones and metals. Beads could be worn individually, combined into colourful strands, or incorporated into more elaborate pieces of jewellery. Their popularity extended across urban centres, military settlements, rural communities, and trading towns throughout the Roman world.

The study of Roman glass beads provides valuable information about ancient manufacturing techniques, trade connections, and cultural exchange. Variations in colour, shape, and production methods allow archaeologists to identify regional traditions and to trace the movement of goods across the Empire.

Dating to the 1st–3rd century A.D., this necklace represents a well-established tradition of Roman personal adornment and craftsmanship. It forms a tangible connection to the ancient world, in which jewellery of this kind was part of everyday life. This piece provides a direct and physical link to the people of antiquity who wore such ornaments as expressions of personal style, identity, and social presence within Roman society.