Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid. Handmade pendant with ancient Egyptian faience beads with elegant wirework in a stylised snake design. The ancient beads are restrung with modern fittings, making them suitable for modern wear while preserving its historical charm. -> In Ancient Egypt, snakes were important symbols of protection, royal authority and divine power. The cobra in particular, in the form of the uraeus, was associated with the Pharaoh and served as a protective emblem on crowns and headdresses. Snakes could also carry associations of renewal and regeneration, making them meaningful and respected creatures in Egyptian belief and art. Length: ± 47,5 mm Diameter bead: ± 6,2 mm Certificate: Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher. Condition: Good condition and wearable. The ancient beads have been restrung and combined with modern gold-plated spacer beads and fittings. Minor surface irregularities and signs of wear consistent with age and use. Provenance: Composed of beads originating from various old collections, acquired in the UK between 2016–2024. Character: Each ancient bead displays subtle variations and signs of age, reflecting its long history and adding to the unique charm of every composition. Please note: Photographed in a professional studio against a deep black background to enhance contrast and detail. Studio lighting and individual screen settings may slightly affect the appearance of colours. Historical background: Faience was very popular and widely used in ancient Egypt. The earliest evidence of faience production was discovered in a 7500 year old workshop near the temple in Abydos. The production and style of faience changed through Egyptian history. Different colourants were used for aesthetic and symbolic purposes, or to imitate the more expensive and rare semi-precious gemstones like turquoise, carnelian, lapis lazuli, garnets or obsidian. Egyptians believed that faience in the colour of gemstones had the same properties. Red had protective powers, dark lapis blue gave strength, courage and wisdom, bright turquoise was associated with fertility and offered protection to the wearer. As faience was more available than semi-precious gemstones it became a popular and widely used material for small objects like scarabs and other forms of amulets, beads, jewellery, small size statuettes, cosmetic vessels and ritual objects. In ancient Egypt, faience objects were seen as magical, reflecting the eternal shimmer of the sun and infused with the powers of rebirth and sparkle with the brilliance of eternity.