File:Roman gold necklace link (FindID 422774).jpg

English: A Roman gold gem-set oval mount. The rubbed-over oval box setting is encircled by a decorative flange with a symmetrical petal motif. Two small projecting open circular rings, one at either end of the long axis of the mount are fused to the back of the flange. One has been torn open, together with a slight localised distortion of the adjacent part of the flange. The oval gem appears translucent, with a very pale lilac-brown colouration. Its front face, convex and polished, is slightly worn. A bulge in the back of the box setting indicates that the back face of the gem is also convex.

The object is either a necklace pendant or a link from a necklace or an ear-ring. The type may be seen 'in use', both as a necklace and ear-ring component, in the encaustic mummy portraits from Roman Egypt, in particular S. Walker and M. Bierbrier, Ancient Faces. Mummy Portraits from Roman Egypt (BM Press, London, 1997), nos. 37 and 42. The mount is closely paralleled by one in the 3rd century AD Beaurains Treasure (British Museum GR1924,0514.8), while in Britain the decorative flange is similarly closely matched by that of an ear-ring (lacking its gem) from the Market Weighton area (Treasure Case 2009 T716). Date: Roman, probably 2nd to 3rd century AD. Dimensions: maximum length (including loops) 23.4 mm; flange 16.0 x 13.4 mm; setting 12.3 x 9.4 mm; maximum thickness 6.2 mm. Weight: 2.3 g. Non-destructive surface metal analysis conducted at the British Museum indicated a gold content of 87-90% and silver content of 7-8%. The transparent stone was identified by Raman spectroscopy as quartz (rock crystal).

Ralph Jackson Dept. of Prehistory & Europe British Museum 15th September 2011