A Western Asiatic Gold and Agate Bead Necklace, ca. 1st millennium BCE Musical Instruments including the lungs

including the lungs

the closed eyes and slack mouth suggest death

Medium: Acrylic on Belgian linen

djed (stability)

acquired from Sothebys

A Western Asiatic Gold and Agate Bead Necklace, ca. 1st millennium BCE Musical Instruments including the lungsThis refined necklace exemplifies the long and sophisticated jewelry traditions of the ancient Near East. It is composed of hand carved agate beads in shades ranging from rich red to translucent gray, each individually shaped into elongated biconical and barrel forms that taper gracefully. Their subtle variations in hue and polish reveal both the natural beauty of the stone and the high technical skill of ancient lapidaries working across Western