A lovely Western Asiatic gold pendant with a cylindrical agate bead. The fine gold sheet sleeve holds in place a white and dark red coloured banded agate bead, with a flattened terminal. A small gold loop has been added at the top for suspension. The agate has a vertical perforation suggesting it was originally a bead, then adapted into this pendant later in antiquity. Many grand civilizations inhabited the area of Western Asia in Antiquity, and their wealth and prosperity is witnessed by the very sophisticated precious metal crafting of jewellery. Gold would have been hammered down to a thin layer and manipulated into different shapes. Gold and silver jewellery would have featured gold granules, glass and semi-precious stone inlays and detailed engravings. Very fine granulation along with filigree, were at the centre of Near Eastern and Western Asiatic jewellery production and were later adopted by the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. Measurements: L 0.9cm x W 0.4cm Weight: 0.29g Provenance: Collection of a deceased Japanese collector, 1970-2015.