A lovely Western Asiatic single gold hoop earring, featuring alternating garnet and gold beads of spherical and ellipsoid shape. The largest of the gold beads is slightly ellipsoid shaped which, instead of being threaded through the penannular hoop, sits below having been soldered onto the hoop. The other beads have been affixed to the hoop with some glue residue visible to the surface. Many grand civilisations inhabited the Near East, 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. The Repoussé and chasing techniques were used to create designs in high and low relief by hammering shapes into the metal from either the front or the reverse. Gold and silver jewellery were also enriched with 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. Dimensions: (circa) L 1.7cm x W 1.4cm Weight: 0.84g Provenance: Ex Japanese gentleman deceased collection, 1970-2010.