Early Byzantine pendant (c. AD 7th century)
Gold almond-shaped pendant in opus interrasile, embossed and chased with a symmetrical foliate design; in the centre of the openwork plaque is an almond-shaped hole; a stone (maybe amethyst), pierced longitudinally, is twisted above and below the hole; to the outer edge of the strip are soldered five hollow spheres; the suspension loop at the top is now missing.
Cf. Yeroulanou 1999, Diatrita: Gold Pierced-Work Jewellery from the 3rd to the 7th Century, 129; Entwistle 2010, Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum, 46.
Weight: 3.37 g.
Diameter: 35 mm.