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A superb and rare ancient Indus Valley etched carnelian bead ring. The conical shaped carnelian gemstone in the centre dates from the middle of the third millennium BC. Deep orange in colour with white patterned etchings, these beads originate from the Indus Valley civilisation (parts of modern day Pakistan and India).
These carnelian beads were alkaline-bleached to develop the geometric white patterns visible on the exterior. The technique was first developed by the Harappans of the Indus Valley civilisation, and vast quantities have been found in archaeological sites all across the Indus Valley.
The conical stone has been set in a later high-karat gold ring mount, the hoop is hollow and of circular cross section which widens towards the bezel. This design and shape is typical of ancient gold rings, however this example would have most likely been made in the 18th or 19th century in keeping with the ancient style. The ring has a fantastic smooth silk-like texture when worn, and is of a particularly small finger size (see below for measurements).
Various similar examples reside in notable collections and museums such as the Louvre and British Museum.
UK size E, US size 2.25 (very small!)
The ring weighs 10 grams and the carnelian stone measures 10mm x 10mm x 5mm. The gold ring is stamped with French hallmarks and tests as 22K gold.
Carnelian served as the canvas for intricate etchings that conveyed the cultural and spiritual essence of the Indus people. Furthermore, Indus Valley etched beads are considered as an important marker of ancient trade between the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia and even Ancient Egypt, as these precious and unique manufactured items circulated in great numbers between these geographical areas during the 3rd millennium BCE, and have been found in numerous tomb deposits. More recently however, a study into a hoard of beads discovered at the site of Aegina-Kolonna in Greece (one of them being an etched carnelian bead) has provided new evidence for trade existing between the Indus Valley and Greece in the 3rd millennium BCE.
To learn more about the technique behind carnelian etched beads, see this article from the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/etching-carnelian-beads-understanding-and-reproducing-ancestral-technique
A superb and rare ancient Indus Valley etched carnelian bead ring. The conical shaped carnelian gemstone in the centre dates from the middle of the third millennium BC. Deep orange in colour with white patterned etchings, these beads originate from the Indus Valley civilisation (parts of modern day Pakistan and India).
These carnelian beads were alkaline-bleached to develop the geometric white patterns visible on the exterior. The technique was first developed by the Harappans of the Indus Valley civilisation, and vast quantities have been found in archaeological sites all across the Indus Valley.
The conical stone has been set in a later high-karat gold ring mount, the hoop is hollow and of circular cross section which widens towards the bezel. This design and shape is typical of ancient gold rings, however this example would have most likely been made in the 18th or 19th century in keeping with the ancient style. The ring has a fantastic smooth silk-like texture when worn, and is of a particularly small finger size (see below for measurements).
Various similar examples reside in notable collections and museums such as the Louvre and British Museum.
UK size E, US size 2.25 (very small!)
The ring weighs 10 grams and the carnelian stone measures 10mm x 10mm x 5mm. The gold ring is stamped with French hallmarks and tests as 22K gold.
Carnelian served as the canvas for intricate etchings that conveyed the cultural and spiritual essence of the Indus people. Furthermore, Indus Valley etched beads are considered as an important marker of ancient trade between the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia and even Ancient Egypt, as these precious and unique manufactured items circulated in great numbers between these geographical areas during the 3rd millennium BCE, and have been found in numerous tomb deposits. More recently however, a study into a hoard of beads discovered at the site of Aegina-Kolonna in Greece (one of them being an etched carnelian bead) has provided new evidence for trade existing between the Indus Valley and Greece in the 3rd millennium BCE.
To learn more about the technique behind carnelian etched beads, see this article from the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/etching-carnelian-beads-understanding-and-reproducing-ancestral-technique
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