This carnelian bead necklace was discovered at the site of the Dzhan Baba settlement in 2013. The beads have the shape of parallelepipeds.
The ancient Greeks were highly skilled in the art of jewelry-making, and even today, antique jewelry continues to be beautiful and exquisite. They created elegant pieces, but they did not favor frills. Jewelry was worn on special occasions, such as holidays, weddings, and visits to the theater, but excessively showing off one’s wealth was considered poor taste in ancient Greece.
Bead necklace was one of the most common forms of jewelry among the ancient Greeks. Pieces of various materials were strung together on a thread to symbolize wealth, high social status, and belonging to a specific group. Among the most beautiful pieces found on the Black Sea coast was the Greek carnelian bead necklace. It is believed that this particular necklace was meant for a woman.
Carnelian is one of the oldest gems used in jewelry. It is rather common in archaeological excavations. It is still quite popular and is often used in modern jewelry. Bead necklaces, rings, bracelets, and small figurines are all made from this stone. Its color comes from iron compounds in its composition and can vary from brownish to brown-red, red, orange-red, and orange-yellow. Because of its hardness and relative ease of working, it is valued as a decorative stone.
In ancient times, carnelian was the main material used for creating cameos and gemmas. In ancient Egypt, it was a stone associated with the goddess Isis. Wealthy Egyptians wore carnelian clasps bearing her symbol.
