Necklace with Pendants

500s

Byzantium, Constantinople?, early Byzantine period, 6th century

Medium

gold, garnets

Measurements

Part 1: 56.5 cm (22 1/4 in.); Part 2: 4.5 x 3.1 x 1.6 cm (1 3/4 x 1 1/4 x 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1954.3

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Location

104 Late Antiquity

Did You Know?

Just as some of us wear jewelry associated with our particular faith, the original owner of this necklace proudly wore this cross a symbol of their Christian beliefs.

Description

Wearing richly decorated gold necklaces such as this one was a common practice among members of Byzantium’s upper classes. In addition to their use as personal adornments and symbols of social status, necklaces with cross pendants and capsules containing relics were also believed to function as powerful protective devices. Here, two hexagonal gold cylinders that may have enclosed either magical texts or holy substances flank a cross pendant on either side.