bead

Object NameMosaic Face Bead

Made FromGlass

Date99 BCE-99 CE

Place MadeRoman Empire; probably Eastern Mediterranean

TechniqueWound, fused mosaic

SizeOverall H: 1.4 cm, Diam: 1.6 cm

Accession Number62.1.25

Curatorial Area(s)

Ancient

Exhibitions

Designs in Miniature: The Story of Mosaic Glass

Life on a String: 35 Centuries of the Glass Bead

Not On View

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

Like the eye bead, the face bead served an apotropaic function to ward off the ill effects of the evil eye.

Physical DescriptionMosaic Face Bead. Opaque white and opaque yellow glass matrix, face canes consist of translucent deep blue, amethyst and opaque white and opaque red; mosaic glass technique; wound bead matrix. Irregular spherical bead, face cane composed of opaque white with features and hair outlined with amethyst, lips in red, all in deep blue matrix, roughly rectangular; each cane is separated with a narrow band of yellow, above and below this register, white is added to complete the form.
Provenance

Source Edward (Esteban) T. Safani (1912-1998) - 1962