Lapis Lazuli, Gold Plated Lava and Brass Bead SET

A striking Roman style necklace and drop earrings SET with 12mm Lapis Lazuli, 16mm Gold plated Lava, Brass beads and beaded rings, on a Gold plated magnetic ball clasp and Gold plated hooks.

Following in the footsteps of the Ancient Egyptians, the Romans who settled in Egypt continued to trade with Afghanistan to obtain Lapis Lazuli which was equally highly prized and abundantly used in jewellery, as can be seen from this Fayum mummy portrait.

While painted mummy masks go back to Pharaonic times, the Fayum mummy portraits were an innovation dating to the time of Roman rule in Egypt. They were found across Egypt but mostly in the Al Fayum oasis, some 60 miles southwest of Cairo, between the Western Desert and the Nile and can be dated from the late 1st century BC to about the mid 3rd century AD.

These portraits show their subjects looking their best, so the clothing, hairstyles and accessories reflect the fashion of the time and women are portrayed wearing splendid clothes and fabulous jewellery.

For more information about these fascinating images, please see Historical Inspirations: Fayum Mummy Portraits.

Please also see About Gemstones: Lapis Lazuli to learn about Lapis Lazuli

📷 Mummy Portrait of a Woman, 2nd century AD, Musée du Louvre, Paris
📷 Child’s gold and Lapis Roman necklace, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
📷 Roman gold and Lapis pendant, Catwiki