Egyptian Faience Bead Necklace with Central Orange Stone

This beautiful Egyptian faience bead necklace showcases almost all the different faience colors, with an orange stone prominently featured in the middle. The necklace has been restrung, preserving its original charm and vibrant colors.

The quality and colors suggest it dates back to the New Kingdom or the Late Period of Egyptian history. Unlike Middle Kingdom necklaces, which typically feature uniform spherical beads, this piece's diverse bead shapes and colors indicate a later period.

These beads could very likely have been part of an ancient Egyptian Menat, which consisted of multiple strands of beads. Menats were used not only as jewelry but also as musical instruments, shaken by female priestesses to produce a rattle sound. While this is speculative, it adds an intriguing dimension to the necklace's history.

For those interested in learning more about ancient Egyptian faience, I highly recommend the book "Gifts of the Nile - Ancient Egyptian Faience" by Friedman.

Culture & Date: Egyptian, New Kingdom - Late Period.

Provenance: Private collection, Hellerup, Denmark, acquired in the 1970s.

Dimensions: 47 cm in circumference.

This exquisite necklace is a testament to the artistry and cultural significance of faience in ancient Egyptian society, making it a valuable addition to any collection of antiquities.