Caption

Shell necklace or bracelet, unknown northern Mesopotamian workshop, jewellery, Early Jazira III period ca. 2600–ca. 2350 BC. Necklace or bracelet composed of 6 whole and 21 ground halves of Engina mendicaria shells. In whole shells, the threading hole was made by grinding away the surface of the lower whorl opposite the hole. Now dull and heavily discolored, these shells originally had a shiny surface with a few diagonal brown stripes on a white or yellowish background. Early Dynastic III period; Al-Jazira northern Mesopotamia, Khabur Basin, Tell Rad Shakra northeastern Syria. Decoration; height 12 cm, width 1.6 cm., A circular arrangement of small rough shells and shell fragments suspended against a flat gray background, showing a variety of irregular, rounded and hollow shapes with worn edges and pitted surfaces; the shells display shades of off-white, beige, tan, brown, and touches of rust and gray, with some darker speckling and lighter chalky areas, and varying textures from smooth to crumbly and layered.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A05_402

License type

Rights managed

Available size

61.1Mb (3.0Mb) / 18.6in x 12.8in / 5572 x 3833 (300dpi)

Keywords

Shell necklace bracelet unknown northern Mesopotamian workshop jewellery Early Jazira III period ca 2600–ca 2350 Bc Necklace bracelet composed 6 whole 21 ground halves Engina mendicaria shells whole shells threading hole was grinding away surface lower whorl opposite hole Now dull heavily discolored shells originally shiny surface diagonal brown stripes white yellowish background Early Dynastic III period Al-Jazira northern Mesopotamia Khabur Basin Tell Rad Shakra northeastern Syria Decoration height 12 cm width 1.6 cm circular arrangement small rough shells shell fragments suspended flat gray background showing variety irregular rounded hollow shapes worn edges pitted surfaces shells display shades off-white beige tan brown touches rust gray darker speckling lighter chalky areas varying textures smooth crumbly layered.