Necklace Bead
618-906
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
1929.8.264.25
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection of decorative arts! This delicate *Necklace Bead*, dating from China's Tang Dynasty (618–906 CE), offers a glimpse into one of history's most vibrant eras. The Tang period was a golden age of cultural flourishing, economic prosperity, and international exchange along the Silk Road, where jewelry like this bead adorned the elite, symbolizing status, beauty, and spiritual beliefs. Though the artist remains unidentified and the exact medium is unknown, such beads were masterfully crafted for necklaces, often featuring polished stones, g...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –