Earrings
Unknown Artist
1st millennium BCE (?)
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
1.1 x 1.18 x 1.18 in. (2.79 x 3 x 3 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Ornaments
Culture & Period
Iran · Iron Age
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Lester Wolfe, 1983
Accession Number
1984.175.36a, b
Art Historical Context
These exquisite gold earrings, crafted in ancient Iran during the Iron Agecirca 1st millennium), offer a glimpse into the opulent world of personal adornment in the Ancient Near East. Measuring just 1.1 x 1.18 x 1.18 inches, their petite scale belies their intricate design, likely intended for daily wear or ceremonial use by elite individuals. As metalwork ornaments, they exemplify the region's advanced goldsmithing traditions, where lightweight, malleable gold was hammered, shaped, and possibly adorned with subtle textures to catch the light. Gold held profound cultural significance in Iron ...