An Egyptian Faience Ball Bead Pendant, Middle Kingdom, ca. 2141 - 2122 BCE

This is an example of Middle Kingdom faience at its best! At one end, this spherical faience bead is a bright azure blue but as the color progresses it very subtly moves to a soft blue-green. Both are colors the ancient Egyptians particularly associated with magical representations of new life, rejuvenation, and rebirth. Clearly, this was a much-cherished piece of jewelry for one end clearly shows deep grooves from much wear. After 4000 years, this lovely bead has been strung once more for wearing as a pendant necklace with a modern adjustable 14K solid gold chain. This adjustable chain allows you to wear the pendant at its longest length of 22' or shorten it to your preference depending on the outfit.

For related ball bead examples see, British Museum accession number: EA3084

Condition: Intact and in excellent condition overall. T

Dimensions: Width: 1/2 inch (1 cm), strung as a pendant on a 22" adjustable chain of 14K solid gold.

Provenance: Lenman/Stohlman collection assembled by the Washington D.C. socialite Miss Isobel H. Lenman (1845 - 1931), in the early 1900s on loan to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., between 1916 and 1921