Beaded Collars from Ancient Egypt
Beaded collars. I'm going to be the first to say that they really, really, really liked bead weaving, and created intricate beautiful patterns and designs hundreds of years before anyone else.
Here are some of my favorite beaded collars from ancient Egypt.
The most colorful beaded collar is photographed by Glenn Gulley with the following caption.
Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten
ca. 1353-1336 B.C.
This necklace of faience beads, called a broad collar, is a durable version of the elaborate perishable floral collars worn by banquet guests. Such necklaces are seen in banquet scenes and are painted on statues from the Old Kingdom onward. The beads in this example imitate a row of cornflowers (center), three rows of dates (middle), and a row of lotus petals (outer). These rows are joined by strands of small ring beads. The rows end in rectangular terminals adorned with blue lotus blossoms, buds, and interspersed with poppy petals and persea fruit.
Gorgeous right? The other pictured collars are also ancient. The Turquoise colored piece is my absolute favorite. I find myself trying to recreate these designs but it's difficult considering that Faience beads (the tube style beads used by Egyptians) are "out of style" and difficult to attain.