Glazed composition beaded necklace

This string of glazed composition beads; with various colours and forms, including grapes and daisies, dates from the 18th Dynasty of Pharaonic Egypt. It is 32.5cm in length and was purchased from Hon Richard Bethell and acquired by the British Museum (EA57886) in 1925.

The striking colours of both the amulets and the beadwork of the necklace itself are seemingly timeless, and the presentation is very contemporary to this very day. The Metropolitan Museum of Art writes, “Egyptian faïence is a ceramic material with a siliceous body and a brightly coloured glaze.

In addition to silica, faïence also contains alkaline salts (the source of which was either natron or plant ash), minor amounts of lime, and a metallic colourant. Although faïence was made in a range of bright colours, the turquoise blue colour so characteristic of the material is created with copper.

During the firing process, the alkali (acting as a flux) and the lime (acting as a stabilizer) react with the silica in the core to form a glaze on the surface.”
Read more: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/egfc/hd_egfc.htm

Summary:

Glazed composition beaded necklace
Dimensions: height: 32.50 centimetres, thickness: 0.50 centimetres, width: 3 centimetres.
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1550-1292 B.C.
British Museum. EA57886