Necklace Bead
618-907
Medium
Decorative Arts-Jewelry
Classification
Decorative Arts-Jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly
Accession Number
1929.8.264.20
Art Historical Context
Step back in time to China's Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), a golden era of cultural flourishing, economic prosperity, and artistic innovation. This delicate *Necklace Bead*, created by an unidentified artisan, exemplifies the exquisite jewelry craftsmanship of the period. Tang jewelers were renowned for their skill in shaping and polishing beads from materials like glass, stone, or semicious gems, often strung into elaborate necklaces that signified wealth, status, and refinement. Such adornments reflected the dynasty's cosmopolitan spirit, influenced by Silk Road with Persia, India, and beyond. ...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –