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Medallion from Byblos, 2200 – 2000 BCE [d/b]

Necklace with medallion, gold, carnelian, rock-crystal and semi precious stones, Byblos, 3200 – 2000 BCE. Diameter 5.8 cm

“The medallion belongs to a group of gold ornaments known from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Cyprus, which are decorated in different techniques. The design may be applied box settings for inlay with added granulation, as in no. 85, or it may be embossed or worked repoussé, so that the punched dots serve as imitation of the globules. The nearest parallel to our jewel is a pendant from Tepe Giyan near Nihavend (Iran) published by Herzfeld, and dated by him c. 2200 B.C. It is published again with more ornate examples found near Hillah-Babylon in a closed jar, attributed to the First Dynasty of Isin, hence to the end of the third and early second millennia. All these have gold beads attached at the top of the disk, so that it can be worn as a pendant, whereas the Montet medallion has enly a simple loop placed at the back where it cannot be seen.”

After O. Tufnell, W. A. Ward
https://dukesglobaladventures.com/2018/06/30/national-museum-of-beirut-jewelry/
After O. Tufnell, W. A. Ward
Photo Sigrid van Roode/Canva

  1. Relations between Byblos, Egypt and Mesopotamia at the end of the third millenium B.C. A Study of a Montet Jar. [article]
    O. Tufnell, W. A. Ward. Syria. Archéologie, Art et histoire Année 1966 43-3-4 pp. 165-241 https://www.persee.fr/doc/syria_0039-7946_1966_num_43_3_5872
  2. Granulation and Glass: Chronological and Stylistic Investigations at Selected Sites, ca. 2500-1400 B. C. E.;
    Christine Lilyquist https://www.jstor.org/stable/1357319

Gold medallion with Aphrodite [d/b]

Gold medallion with Aphrodite and two Erotes. Crimea Photo source https://handvorec.ru/novosti/zayavlenie-krymskih-muzeev/ https://www.tvc.ru/news/show/id/106630 https://colorsandstones.eu/2023/04/28/medallions-gallery/

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