A restrung Western Asiatic necklace composed of stone and glass beads of different hues of grey, black and blue. The body of the necklace is comprised of rounded beads, interspersed with cylindrical beads. At the centre of the necklace, a stack of three larger beads acts as a pendant, including an ellipsoid bead, a rounded bead, and a disc-shaped bead through which the necklace is threaded. The beads increase in size towards the middle. Some of the beads feature natural striations and some surface roughness. Each bead presents a unique shape and a different shade of colour and texture. Please note this necklace is unclasped and threaded on a string. Jewellery is thought to be one of the oldest forms of art within history, with the presence of rings, bangles and necklaces’ being present in almost all ancient societies. Many grand civilisations inhabited the area of Western Asia in antiquity, and their wealth and prosperity are demonstrated through their sophisticated jewellery making. Precious and semi-precious stones, such as agate, lapis lazuli, and carnelian, were also widely used as well as glass, coral, stones and metal. Measurements: (circa) beaded half length 22.5cm, half length 38cm Provenance: Ex Japanese private collection, deceased, 1970-2010.