Earrings. Roman Empire, 2nd-3rd century AD.

Earrings. Roman Empire, 2nd-3rd century AD.
Gold and agate.
Provenance: Spanish private collection.
Measurements: 5 and 4 cm (5.56 gr. and 5.43 gr.).

This pair of Roman earrings is a refined example of High Empire goldsmithery, where the combination of precious metals and ornamental stones reached a remarkable technical and aesthetic development.

Made of gold, they have an elaborate decorative structure composed of granular and molded elements, which show the mastery of techniques such as granulation and filigree work. These forms are articulated around a vertical axis that culminates in agate beads, a material appreciated in antiquity both for its beauty and its supposed protective properties.

This type of jewelry not only fulfilled an aesthetic function, but also a social one, acting as a symbol of status and wealth within Roman society.