Bead
ca. 3300-2250 BCE
Classification
Jewelry and Ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1917.378b
Tags
About this artwork
Ornament; bead form, irregularly squared with rounded edges; bored conically from both sides leaving rough median ridge; mottled ivory and pale tans with small darker streaks; tool marks. One of a set; see F1917.378a, F1917.378c, and F1917.378d.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...