ANCIENT
CRYSTAL, AMETHYST & GARNET
BEADS
In this section, there will be a
display of a variety of basically translucent semi-precious stone beads made out of rock crystal,
amethyst and garnet beads.
Rock Crystal
Rock crystal is the most common semi-precious stone. It has in its purest form hardness 7 on Mohr's scale.
Along with agate, crystal seems to have been extensively
used in ancient India for bead making. Even though real transparent crystal was a scarce
material, it seems that especially the Mauryan culture
used it for a large number of items, including beads. In
the ancient Buddhist Indian stupas there has been found
a lot of crystal beads in the burial caskets. The Indian
crystal was also due to its quality exported to the
Roman Empire.
Visible drilling holes
One of the wonderful
things about rock crystal beads is that the holes become
visible due to the extraordinary translucency of the
stone. Take your time to study and enjoy the holes as you
scroll down the page.
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The beads
are for sale
Inquire
through bead ID
for price
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CR
1 -
16 * 14 mm
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CR 2 -
34 * 20 mm
Large ancient crystal bead
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CR 3 -
18 * 15
* 14 mm
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CR 4 - 31 * 14 mm
This ancient crystal pendant bead is extremely rare
Click on the above pictures for a larger image
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CR 5 -
12 * 11 mm
Melon shaped Mauryan
crystal bead talisman
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CR 6 -
14 * 2,5 mm
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CR 7 - 14 mm
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CR 8 -
largest 13 mm - Lot of 9
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CR 9
- Lot of 3 pieces - Left bead 13 * 14 mm
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CR 10 - 12
* 8 mm - Lot of 7
Note: These beads are more whitish seen
in normal light.
However, the color displayed here is also a part of their
radiance.
The difference will be the same as you can observe various photo
sessions of CR 9
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CR 11 - 25 * 19 mm
A true
Broken Beauty
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CR 12 - 8
to 10 mm - Lot sold
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CR 13 - 13 * 10 mm
This is not a bead.
It is an ancient
earring.
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Carved
amethyst beads
Wonderful carved
amethyst crystal beads. Rajasthan -
Rajput Period 1200 AD
Amethyst beads became frequent from the Indian Classical
Period and onwards.
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CR 14 - Lot - 7 pieces
Middle left : 20 * 9 mm - Left down :
15 * 10 mm
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CR 15 - 5 mm - Lot
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These wonderful tiny amethyst beads are from Sri
Lanka. They are not ancient, but more than 150 years old. In the
late 18th century, they stopped making these beads since there
was going too much over-costly work into the polishing process.
Note the high quality of the stone itself.
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CR 16 - 13 * 8 mm
Carved conch shell bead
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CR 17 - 33 * 20 * 17 mm
Another
Broken Beauty
CR 18 - 15 * 7 mm
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Citrin/yellow quartz Beads
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CR 19 - Largest piece: 16 * 13 * 10 mm - Smallest piece:
10 * 8 mm -Lot
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Ancient garnet Beads
Apart from rock crystal, garnet is the the most common semi precious stone. In contrast to rock crystal garnet is only found in small pieces. This is reflected in the size of the garnet beads displayed above. Crystal beads are often much larger in size.
Garnet beads are not reported from the Indus Valley
sites. They first become fashion in the Buddhist period
of Indian hitory.
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CR 20
- Lot
Largest piece: 10 * 5 * 4 mm - smallest piece:
4,5 * 3,5
mm
Click on picture for larger image
Small ancient
Garnet Beads.
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