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Source Description
This outstanding example of jewelry from the 1st-century BCE Greek colonies in the Black Sea region is purported to belong to the famed Olbia treasure, named for the town in present-day Ukraine in which it was discovered at the end of the 19th century. Whether the bracelets, necklaces, earrings, dress ornaments, and other items in the Walters' collection really came from the same tomb remains unclear. These impressive bracelets have a centerpiece linked by hinges to the two arms. Each bracelet can be closed with a pin that runs through intertwining hoops. The lavish embellishment includes granulation, cloisonné work, and beading as well as multicolored enamel and gemstone inlays in various settings. Using multiple colors and sizes of gemstones became common in Greek jewelry making after the conquest of the East by Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE), which opened up new trade routes and introduced the Greeks to Oriental styles.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
77272
label
Bracelets from the Olbia Treasure
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
https://purl.thewalters.org/art/VO.59 (57.375, 57.376)
pageCount
3
Source metadata
id
77272
sourceUrl
https://purl.thewalters.org/art/VO.59 (57.375, 57.376)
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Bracelets from the Olbia Treasure
description
This outstanding example of jewelry from the 1st-century BCE Greek colonies in the Black Sea region is purported to belong to the famed Olbia treasure, named for the town in present-day Ukraine in which it was discovered at the end of the 19th century. Whether the bracelets, necklaces, earrings, dress ornaments, and other items in the Walters' collection really came from the same tomb remains unclear. These impressive bracelets have a centerpiece linked by hinges to the two arms. Each bracelet can be closed with a pin that runs through intertwining hoops. The lavish embellishment includes granulation, cloisonné work, and beading as well as multicolored enamel and gemstone inlays in various settings. Using multiple colors and sizes of gemstones became common in Greek jewelry making after the conquest of the East by Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE), which opened up new trade routes and introduced the Greeks to Oriental styles.
provenance
[From a tomb near Olbia, Parutino, Ukraine (?), discovered 1913]; F. L. van Gans, Frankfurt (?) [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; P. Mavrogordato, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Galerie Bachstitz, The Hague [catalogue 1921, part II, lot 92 A]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1926, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
Elements: late 2nd century BCE; Setting: 1st century BCE (Hellenistic)
citationUrl
https://purl.thewalters.org/art/VO.59 (57.375, 57.376)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
bracelets
imageCount
3
pageCount
3
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
5.3
height
7.9
dimensionsRaw
2 1/16 x 3 1/8 in. (5.3 x 7.9 cm)
Source extras
cul
Greek
style
Hellenistic
med
gold, garnet, amethyst, emerald, pearl, chrysoprase, glass, enamel and modern replacements
creator_ids
6256
collection_ids
GRC
JWL
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
723ed81ddff11e25
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
fa6c334a0db648e4
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
5b8bd04fcf908069
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no