Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A fabulous face bead comprised of cobalt blue, bright yellow, dark purple, and white glass. The bead presents a central dark purple band bordered by yellow bands, with cobalt blue upper and lower hemispheric sections. There are four white human faces located equidistantly upon this band with deep purple facial features and white wavy locks of hair radiating from the upper peripheries. Size: .75" in diameter x .625" H (1.9 cm x 1.6 cm); 1.25" H (3.2 cm) on included custom stand.

For similar beads see:

M. Tempelmann-Maczynska, Die Perlen der romischen Kaiserzeit und der fruhen Phase der Volkerwanderungszeit im mitteleuropaischen Barbaricum. Rom. Germ. Forsch. 43, 1985, taf 12 #369.

Veeronique Arveiller-Dulong, Marie-Dominique Nenna. Les Verres antiques du Musee du Louvre III : Parure, instruments et elements d’incrustation, Paris, Editions du Louvre, Somogy, 2011, p. 208: 288.

Alexeeva E.M. Antichniye busi severnogo prichernomoriya, Academy of Science, Moscow, 1982, table 48: 31,33.

M.Spaer. Ancient glass in the Israel Museum. Beads and other small objects, Jerusalem, 2001, p. 124: 205-206.

Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#140778

Tiny chips around perforations. Normal surface wear with scratches and minute nicks commensurate with age.