Bead

Art Historical Context

This delicate shell bead, dating from the 8th to 13th century, offers a glimpse into the everyday artistry of the Islamic world. Crafted from a single piece of shell—likely sourced from coastal regions of the Indian Ocean or Red—it measures a modest 5/8 inch in length, with a width of 7/16 inch and depth of 38 inch. As a piece of jewelry classified in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art department, it exemplifies the simple yet elegant adornments worn by people across the vast Abbasid and Fatimid empires. Shell was a prized medium in Islamic jewelry-making due to its natural luster, ...