At the heart of this rare and
magnificent
ornament is the exquisite bust of a
goddess,
almost certainly Aphrodite. During the
Hellenistic
age, the flowering of Greek culture
following the
death of Alexander the great, this
lovely jewel
would have been affixed to the coiffure
of a
noblewoman or princess; a silken cord,
drawn
through the loops of the golden net,
would have
held it in place. A radiant masterpiece,
it evokes
the splendor and glory of the classical
world at
its height. Its original owner must have
been very
beautiful indeed to invite comparison to
the
goddess of love.
Diameter 23cm
- (FJ.0288)
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