Earring with Dolphin Head Finial
3rd-2nd century BCE
Medium
Gold, glass, and sardonyx
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)
Classification
ear ornament
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
809
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Originally one of a pair, this earring is formed from gold wire that is strung with one gold, one glass and one sardonyx (stone) bead; and terminates in the form of a dolphin head.
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...