A fine Byzantine High Karat Gold Pendant, ca. 10th century CE

This elegant pendant is fashioned from high karat sheet gold, constructed as a small box-form element with a subtly flaring hourglass silhouette. The front panel is richly decorated with fine openwork filigree: tightly wound scrolls, tiny granules, and twisted wire creating a lace-like surface typical of early Byzantine luxury ornament. Each corner is finished with a small, rounded terminal, while four suspension loops are soldered along the top, allowing the pendant to hang freely from a chain.

The workmanship reflects the refined aesthetic of Byzantine goldsmiths, who favored intricate filigree and lightweight hollow forms for personal jewelry. Comparable examples of gold filigree pendants and box elements are known from Byzantine workshops in the Levant, Asia Minor, and the Mediterranean coastal provinces, where portable devotional jewelry and ornamental amulets were widely produced. 

Medium: Gold

Dimensions: Height: 1 inch (2.5 cm). Presented on a modern gold chain of 18K yellow gold.

Condition: The pendant is intact and in very good condition, with crisp filigree, stable solder joins, and only minor age-consistent surface wear. A lovely example.

Provenance: Collection of Henry Anavian, Sumer Gallery, New York, acquired in the 1980s, then by descent to the family.

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