Representing the god Thoth
the round body with a stylized bird head featuring an elongated beak gently carved to indicate a mouth and a raised double head crest along the top of the head
was associated in ancient Costa Rican belief systems with death
This fabulous gold-tone copy has recently been strung as a necklace with black and white lava stone and gold-tone spacers
Condition: Fragmentary with losses to all edges
A superb Persian Gold, Garnet, and Crystal Necklace, Achaemenid Period, ca 550 - 300 BCE Medium - Textile Representing the god ThothThis exceptional necklace is composed of ancient gold, garnet, and crystal beads. The warm glow of the hollow gold beads contrasts elegantly with the deep wine red of the garnets and the soft translucence of the crystal. The gold elements include both ribbed and lenticular forms, their hammered and repouss surfaces catching the light with subtle shimmer. Garnet beads, some slightly irregular in shape, provide a rich color anchor, while the