Bead
Object NameBead
Date1st century BCE-1st century CE
OriginRoman Empire, prob. Eastern Med.
MediumMosaic Glass
Dimensions5/8 × 1/2 in. diameter(1.6 × 1.3 cm)
ClassificationsDecorative Arts, Glass
Credit LineGift of Neva M. Petersen. In the permanent collection, Brunnier Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Object numberum89.43
Status
Not on viewCollections
CultureRoman Empire, Eastern Mediterranean
Label TextThe earliest beads were made about 4000 B.C. from stone or clay, utilizing a glass-like material as glaze. The earliest objects made entirely of glass were beads produced in approximately 2500 B.C. with decorative patterns of stripes and spots. Head and face beads, popular trade items as early as 600 B.C., were probably produced in Carthage. They were widely distributed primarily as religious amulets by the Phoenicians, the leading traders and navigators of the time. The beads were believed to have the power to ward off evil or ensure fertility.
Locations
- (not entered) Iowa State University, Brunnier Art Museum
Object Name: Bowl, Footed or Patch stand
Monot & Stumpf
c. 1845-1855
Object number: 3.7.13
