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Beads from a bead net
Nubian
Napatan Period, reign of Aspelta
593–568 B.C.
Findspot: Nubia (Sudan), Nuri, Pyramid XLII Room B
Medium/Technique
Gold, amazonite, faience, silver
Dimensions
Overall: 2 cm (13/16 in.) - general length of beads
Overall: 2.6 cm (1 in.) - length of pendant
Overall: 2.6 cm (1 in.) - length of pendant
Credit Line
Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
Accession Number47.1958
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsJewelry, Ancient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Necklaces and neck bands
DescriptionBeads from a bead net consisting of:
5 gold or silver gilt pendant beads
3 amazonite pendant beads
220 gold or silver gilt cylinder beads
129 amazonite cylinder beads
334 faience cylinder beads
64 gold or silver gilt ball beads
These were the descriptions for the different field numbers originally recorded in TMS:
18-1-218: Part of a bead necklace consisting of a conical gold pendant and 33 beads (1 gold ball, 5 gold cylinders, 3 amazonite cylinders, 2 green faience cylinders) strung on silver wire. The gold ball bead and the 2 adjoining faience beads are still in position on the silver wire.
18-1-240: Various parts of necklace, evidently part of 18-1-218 but perhaps a second necklace. Group of beads includes: 54 green faience cylinder beads, 20 amazonite cylinder beads, 11 gold cylinder beads, 2 silver-gilded (?) cylinder beads, 9 gold ball beads, 1 serpentine (?) ball bead, 1 conical gold pendant. Several of hese are still strung on their original gold wire. Some of the cylinder beads are in fragments.
18-1-244: Three green faience cylinders already strung on silver wire. Add to 18-1-240. Part of necklace 18-1-240 an 18-1-218. Also one amazonite cylinder bead and a piece of silver wire.
18-1-257: Necklace beads and silver wire (see 18-1-240). Beads include the following: 22 gold cylinder beads, 22 green faience cylinder beads, 17 amazonite cylinder beads, 5 gold ball beads, 5 pieces of silver wire. Some beads are fragmented.
18-1-285: Seven amazonite cylinder beads, one with part of a gold bead attached, and still strung on silver wire. One amazonite conical pendant on wire.
18-1-286: 6 ball (or barrel) beads of gold. 16 gold cylinder beads on silver wire. 4 fragments of silver wire.
18-1-288: Fifteen green faience cylinder beads, one fragment of amazonite cylinder bead, strung on silver wire.
18-1-322: Group of necklace fragments consisting of: twenty-two half gold cylinder beads, three gold ball beads, and fragments of two green faience cylinder beads attached on wires. Strung on silver wire. Also, two fragments of silver wire. See 18-1-240 etc.
18-1-323: 2 gold conical pendants, one broken at top, one smashed flat. See 18-1-240, etc.
18-1-324: Beads strung on silver wire. Some broken. Group includes 11 amazonite cylinder beads, 23 green faience cylinder beads.
18-1-380: Beads and silver wire. Some of the beads are only fragments. Some are still strung on wire. Refer to 18-1-322, etc. Beads include: 5 gilded silver ball beads, 11 gilded silver cylinder beads, 3 amazonite cylinder beads, 18 green faience cylinder beads. Included are 3 fragments of silver wire.
18-1-381: Set of two conical pendants of green amazonite, one with gilded silver bead still attached to top.
18-1-385: Beads on silver wire: 1 amazonite cylinder bead, 2 faience cylinder beads, 1 amazonite cylinder bead. See 18-1-380, etc.
18-1-457: Group of 15 silver (gilt) cylinder beads, 3 silver (gilt) ball beads, 4 scraps of silver wire.
18-1-458: 25 green faience cylinder beads, some broken.
18-1-459: Six half bronze cylinder beads.
18-2-72: 30 whole green cylinder beads, plus fragments of about 7 others. Some on silver wire.
18-2-74: Twenty-three green amazonite cylinder beads, with fragments of about four others. Some on silver wire.
18-2-75: 8 silver, gilded ball beads, and 38 silver gilded cylinder beads. Some beads are on silver wire.
18-2-129: 70 faded green faience cylinder beads, some still on silver wire.
18-2-130: 69 silver cylinder beads, some in fragments, with fragments of silver wire.
18-2-131: Twenty-six amazonite cylinder beads, some on silver wire.
18-2-132: 15 silver (gilded) ball beads, some on silver wire. 2 also strung with 2 silver cylinder beads and 1 with a faience cylinder bead.
18-2-133: Silver (gilded) pendant with silver (gilded) ball bead attached, and fragments of a second similar pendant.
18-2-181: 14 silver (gilded) cylinder beads and 1 ball with 3-ended wire.
18-2-184: 9 green faience cylinder beads, some on silver wire.
18-2-196: 8 gilded silver cylinder beads, some in fragments, and 2 silver gilded ball beads on silver wire. With wire scraps.
18-2-197: Seven amazonite cylinder beads and fragments, eleven green faience cylinder beads and fragments, some on silver wire.
18-2-215: One amazonite cylinder bead on silver wire.
18-2-216: 17 beads and fragments of green faience beads
18-2-217: 12 silver (gilded) cylinder beads, 2 silver (gilded) ball beads, a scrap of silver wire.
18-2-239: Various beads, including 1 stone ball bead, 1 amazonite cylinder bead, 4 green faience cylinder beads on wire, 3 silver (gilded) cylinder beads, 1 silver (gilded) ball bead.
5 gold or silver gilt pendant beads
3 amazonite pendant beads
220 gold or silver gilt cylinder beads
129 amazonite cylinder beads
334 faience cylinder beads
64 gold or silver gilt ball beads
These were the descriptions for the different field numbers originally recorded in TMS:
18-1-218: Part of a bead necklace consisting of a conical gold pendant and 33 beads (1 gold ball, 5 gold cylinders, 3 amazonite cylinders, 2 green faience cylinders) strung on silver wire. The gold ball bead and the 2 adjoining faience beads are still in position on the silver wire.
18-1-240: Various parts of necklace, evidently part of 18-1-218 but perhaps a second necklace. Group of beads includes: 54 green faience cylinder beads, 20 amazonite cylinder beads, 11 gold cylinder beads, 2 silver-gilded (?) cylinder beads, 9 gold ball beads, 1 serpentine (?) ball bead, 1 conical gold pendant. Several of hese are still strung on their original gold wire. Some of the cylinder beads are in fragments.
18-1-244: Three green faience cylinders already strung on silver wire. Add to 18-1-240. Part of necklace 18-1-240 an 18-1-218. Also one amazonite cylinder bead and a piece of silver wire.
18-1-257: Necklace beads and silver wire (see 18-1-240). Beads include the following: 22 gold cylinder beads, 22 green faience cylinder beads, 17 amazonite cylinder beads, 5 gold ball beads, 5 pieces of silver wire. Some beads are fragmented.
18-1-285: Seven amazonite cylinder beads, one with part of a gold bead attached, and still strung on silver wire. One amazonite conical pendant on wire.
18-1-286: 6 ball (or barrel) beads of gold. 16 gold cylinder beads on silver wire. 4 fragments of silver wire.
18-1-288: Fifteen green faience cylinder beads, one fragment of amazonite cylinder bead, strung on silver wire.
18-1-322: Group of necklace fragments consisting of: twenty-two half gold cylinder beads, three gold ball beads, and fragments of two green faience cylinder beads attached on wires. Strung on silver wire. Also, two fragments of silver wire. See 18-1-240 etc.
18-1-323: 2 gold conical pendants, one broken at top, one smashed flat. See 18-1-240, etc.
18-1-324: Beads strung on silver wire. Some broken. Group includes 11 amazonite cylinder beads, 23 green faience cylinder beads.
18-1-380: Beads and silver wire. Some of the beads are only fragments. Some are still strung on wire. Refer to 18-1-322, etc. Beads include: 5 gilded silver ball beads, 11 gilded silver cylinder beads, 3 amazonite cylinder beads, 18 green faience cylinder beads. Included are 3 fragments of silver wire.
18-1-381: Set of two conical pendants of green amazonite, one with gilded silver bead still attached to top.
18-1-385: Beads on silver wire: 1 amazonite cylinder bead, 2 faience cylinder beads, 1 amazonite cylinder bead. See 18-1-380, etc.
18-1-457: Group of 15 silver (gilt) cylinder beads, 3 silver (gilt) ball beads, 4 scraps of silver wire.
18-1-458: 25 green faience cylinder beads, some broken.
18-1-459: Six half bronze cylinder beads.
18-2-72: 30 whole green cylinder beads, plus fragments of about 7 others. Some on silver wire.
18-2-74: Twenty-three green amazonite cylinder beads, with fragments of about four others. Some on silver wire.
18-2-75: 8 silver, gilded ball beads, and 38 silver gilded cylinder beads. Some beads are on silver wire.
18-2-129: 70 faded green faience cylinder beads, some still on silver wire.
18-2-130: 69 silver cylinder beads, some in fragments, with fragments of silver wire.
18-2-131: Twenty-six amazonite cylinder beads, some on silver wire.
18-2-132: 15 silver (gilded) ball beads, some on silver wire. 2 also strung with 2 silver cylinder beads and 1 with a faience cylinder bead.
18-2-133: Silver (gilded) pendant with silver (gilded) ball bead attached, and fragments of a second similar pendant.
18-2-181: 14 silver (gilded) cylinder beads and 1 ball with 3-ended wire.
18-2-184: 9 green faience cylinder beads, some on silver wire.
18-2-196: 8 gilded silver cylinder beads, some in fragments, and 2 silver gilded ball beads on silver wire. With wire scraps.
18-2-197: Seven amazonite cylinder beads and fragments, eleven green faience cylinder beads and fragments, some on silver wire.
18-2-215: One amazonite cylinder bead on silver wire.
18-2-216: 17 beads and fragments of green faience beads
18-2-217: 12 silver (gilded) cylinder beads, 2 silver (gilded) ball beads, a scrap of silver wire.
18-2-239: Various beads, including 1 stone ball bead, 1 amazonite cylinder bead, 4 green faience cylinder beads on wire, 3 silver (gilded) cylinder beads, 1 silver (gilded) ball bead.
ProvenanceFrom Nuri Pyramid 42. 1918: Excavated by the Harvard University-Museum of Fine Arts Expedition; assigned to the MFA by the government of Sudan.From Nuri, Pyramid XLII, Room B