Four Thousand Year Old Agate Beads with Carnelian and Lapis Lazuli Spacers

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Four Thousand Year Old Agate Beads with Carnelian and Lapis Lazuli Spacers

About the Item

Seventeen large agate beads from the Bronze Age of four thousand years ago. The agate beads have a group of two carnelian beads and one lapis lazuli bead between each of the agate beads; there are eighteen lapis beads and thirty six carnelian beads in the necklace. Probably based on earlier Indus Valley beads made from softer materials, these agate versions were made possible by technological innovations in drilling that allowed long holes to be safely drilled. The risk of the bit seizing up and snapping off in the hole during drilling was greatly reduced. The rounded lozenge shape is the most prevalent, but there are variations, some of which are in this necklace. All of them share the characteristic of being of flattened form, reducing the weight of the bead and allowing as much of the patterning of the layers in the stone to be visible as possible. The faces of the beads curve towards the edges, the thickest part being in the middle where the drill hole occurs. This material was carefully selected to maximize the aesthetic effects of the internal banding and the beads were designed to show it off to its greatest advantage. The dimensions of the beads are as follows (clockwise from the top): 1. A barrel shaped bead 4.1 cm in length, 9mm in width at the widest point, and 5mm in width at the ends. The bead is slightly flattened with a thickness of 7 mm. The drill hole is 2.5mm in diameter. The color has been affected by the whitening action of alkaline soil, the result of being buried in the ground. The bead appears to have lost about 4mm from one end because the widest point is not in the center of the bead. It is likely that the end was chipped and the broken part has been ground away. The slightly flattened shape may be the result of regrinding as well. 2. A rectangular shaped agate bead 2.12 cm in length, 1.3 cm in height and 1.22 cm in thickness. The top and bottom edges are tapered and the corners are slightly rounded. The drill hole is 4.2mm in diameter. 3. A barrel shaped bead 3.7cm in length, 1.1 cm in width at the thickest point in the center and 6.5 mm in width at the ends. The drill hole is 3mm. 4. A flat trapezoid shaped agate bead 2.1cm in length, 1.8 cm at the widest point in the center, and 6mm in thickness. The drill hole diameter is 2.5mm. 5. A flat agate bead with rounded edges 3.2 cm in length, 2.35cm in width at the widest point and 1.25 cm wide at the ends. The bead is 9mm in thickness and the drill hole diameter is 3mm. 6. A long rectangular shaped, flattened bead; the length is 4.55 cm. The width is 2.4cm and the thickness is 9mm at the center line. The drill hole diameter is 4.5 mm. 7. A flattened rectangular shaped agate bead with slightly rounded sides. The length is 4cm and the width at the center is 2.65 cm. The ends taper to 1.7cm in width. The bead is 1.05 cm in thickness. The drill hole diameter is 3.6 mm. 8. A flattened agate bead 3.85 cm in length. The bead is 3.2 cm in width at the center and 1.15 cm in width at the ends. The bead is 9 mm in thickness. 9. The center bead in the necklace is 5.5cm in length, 3.3cm in width at the center and 1cm in width at the ends. The bead is 1.15 cm in thickness and the drill hole diameter is 4.8mm. Large diameter holes are characteristic of early Bronze Age agate beads of this type. 10. A flattened agate bead 4.3 cm in length, 3.62 cm in width at the center and 1.15 cm in width at the ends. The bead is 1 cm in thickness and the drill hole is 5 mm. 11. An agate bead of rounded rectangular shape 3.8 cm in length, 3.18 cm in width and 7.5 mm in thickness. The drill hole diameter is 3.5 mm. There is some very minor chipping along the narrow top and bottom edges. There has been some regrinding to remove the alkaline staining of the surface and to soften the edges of the small chips. 12. A flattened agate bead 4.8 cm in length, 2.18 cm in width at the center and 1.08 cm in width at the ends. The bead is 8 mm in thickness and the drill hole diameter is 4 mm. 13. A round, flattened or tabular shaped bead 2.74 cm in length, 2.85 cm in width and 8.5 mm in thickness. The front of the bead is slightly domed and the back side is flat. The drill hole diameter is 3 mm. 14. A flat trapezoid shaped agate bead 1.9 cm in length, 1.65 cm in width at the center and 6.2 mm in width at the ends. The bead is 6.5 mm in thickness and the drill hole diameter is 2.4 mm. 15. A long barrel shaped agate cylinder bead with tapered ends 4.21 cm in length, 1 cm in width at the center and 6 mm in width at the ends. The drill hole diameter is 3mm. 16. A rounded rectangular shaped agate bead 2 cm in length, 1.33 cm in width at the center and 6 mm in width at the ends. The bead is 8 mm in thickness and the drill hole diameter is 4 mm. 17. A long barrel shaped, cylinder bead tapered at the ends, 3.25 cm in length, 1 cm in width at the enter, and 6.5 mm in width at the ends. The drill hole diameter is 3 mm. The lapis beads vary in size from 6mm to 8 mm in width. The carnelian beads are 5mm to 7mm in width. The necklace is 32 3/8 inches (82 cm) in length. The necklace weighs 183 grams.

Creator:
David Ebbinghouse
Stone:
Agate,Carnelian,Lapis Lazuli
Stone Cut:
Bead
Weight:
183 g
Dimensions:
Length: 32.29 in (820 mm)
Style:
Artist
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
15th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
Unknown
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. At least two agate beads in this necklace show signs of regrinding, which likely happened in the distant past to remove the alkaline staining of the surface and to soften the edges of the small chips in the stone.
Seller Location:
Bloomington, IN
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2425213785952