Gold pendant in the form of a vase
Unknown Artist
late 6th–5th century BCE
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Other: 9/16 in. (1.4 cm)
Classification
Gold and Silver
Culture & Period
Greek or Cypriot · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.3626
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gold pendant, shaped like a slender vase, hails from the late 6th to 5th century BCE bridging the Archaic and early Classical periods of ancient Greek or Cypriot culture. Measuring just 9/16 inch (1.4 cm) tall, its diminutive size belies the remarkable skill of its unknown artisan, who crafted it from pure gold—a precious metal symbolizing wealth and status in antiquity. Likely worn as jewelry around the neck or pinned to clothing, it reflects the era's fascination with personal adornments that evoked everyday vessels used in rituals, symposia, or household life. The pendant's ...