Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A lovely set of earrings with flower-shaped 18K gold beads boasting indented petals and impressed circular centers. Each earring blossom is mounted against a slender 20K gold hoop with a spiraled catch loop and a small hook. Romans invented the "hoop earring" around 300 BCE. These earrings were occasionally ornamented with finals representing flora, fauna, Maenads (the intoxicated women also known as Bacchae), slaves, or the Greek god Eros. A fabulous pair of ancient jewelry! Size of each loop: 0.55" in diameter (1.4 cm); size of each bead: 0.35" in diameter (0.9 cm); gold quality: 18K (beads) and 20K (loops); total weight: 2.8 grams.

Provenance: private New York, USA collection

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#136881

Hooks are difficult to remove from catches, but a reputable jeweler could modify them to make them wearable. Restoration to hook of one earring. Surface wear and minor abrasions commensurate with age, small dents to beads, slight bending to form of loops, and light tarnishing.