Description

The pendant, dating between the 1^st century BC and the 1^st century AD, is made of an oval lapis lazuli stone of exceptional quality, which is set inside a hand-beaten yellow gold setting and embellished, on the perimeter, with gold spheres. The lapis lazuli stone is decorated with relief images that attest to the votive nature of the pendant, which was born as a protective amulet rather than a commercial seal. In the centre there is a depiction of a typical vase of Roman origin, the modius, necessary as an imperial unit of measurement for dry grain, although in Jewish and Kabbalistic culture it represents the spiritual container intended to welcome divine light, as well as the golden vase intended to contain the offering on the second day of the Jewish Easter (the Omer); on the sides there are two Menorahs, symbol of the days of creation and symbol of divine enlightenment. Microscopic observation under high magnification reveals an internal stress micro-line traversing the upper arc of the gem. The presence of secondary mineral transport sedimentations and micro-oxidations confined entirely within this crevice rules out modern manufacturing interventions. This phenomenon is due to the constant mechanical pressure and thermal expansion exerted over centuries by the thick, hand-beaten peripheral gold bezel, confirming the antiquity and historical integrity of the assembly.

Period: 1^st century BC – 1^st century AD

Provenance: Italy

Size: 59 x 57 mm

Weight: 47,99 gr