Collection Online as of June 1, 2023
Part of a set. See all set records
Gold and semiprecious stones
Overall: 5 x 3.8 x 9.8 cm (1 15/16 x 1 1/2 x 3 7/8 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1994.98.4
104 Late Antiquity
Mounted at the center of this octagonal pendant is a rare coin issued by Constantine the Great, the Roman Empire’s first Christian emperor. Constantine’s portrait appears on the coin’s front, those of two of his sons on the back. Constantine’s image is surrounded by male and female busts, some of which are mythological figures. The pendant once formed the centerpiece of a sumptuous gold necklace, likely a gift for a high-ranking court official or member of the imperial family.