Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 277A
image_0 image_1
Ancient Carnelian, Agate & Jasper Bead Collection - Near East & Mediterranean
Ancient Carnelian, Agate & Jasper Bead Collection - Near East & Mediterranean
image_0 image_1

Near East and Mediterranean, ca. 2000 BCE – 1200 CE. A bountiful assemblage of ancient hardstone beads gathered from across the Near East and Mediterranean, spanning the Bronze Age through the medieval era. Carnelian dominates, joined by banded agate, red jasper, and chalcedony, the lot ranging through spherical, biconical, tabular, disc, barrel, and short cylindrical forms. Their surfaces glow in warm oranges, russets, and deep oxblood tones, softened by millennia of handling, and each retains its original hand-bored perforation, often biconically drilled from both ends. Scattered among the stones are a few beads of faience and glass of comparable or somewhat later date, along with a single pale bone bead. Long prized as talismans and trade currency, such beads await restringing into wholly individual necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. Total weight: 57.1 grams.

Carnelian held particular potency across the ancient world. Its fiery color was associated with vitality and protection, and the stone appears in Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Indus Valley jewelry alike. The deep, saturated reds were frequently achieved by heat-treating paler chalcedony, a technique mastered by Bronze Age artisans. Beads of this kind circulated along caravan and maritime trade routes for centuries, which is why a single gathered lot can span both wide geography and a remarkably long chronology.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 203180

  • Condition: Good. Pitting and chips. Majority are intact and stringable, while several are more fragmentary.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000