Bead
Unknown Artist
9th–12th century
Medium
Glass
Classification
Jewelry
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Helen Miller Gould, 1910
Accession Number
10.130.3335
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass bead, dating from the 9th to 12th century, hails from the vibrant world of Islamic art. Crafted during a golden age of Islamic under the Abbasid Calate and its successors, beads were essential components of, adorning necklaces, bracelets, and amulets. As a simple yet sophisticated medium, glass allowed artisans to create translucent, colorful objects that captured light beautifully, symbolizing both everyday adornment and subtle luxury in daily life and trade across the Islamic world. The unknown artist's mastery of glassworking techniques—likely involving melting, molding...