Jewelry M.S. Rau | Bronze Age Spiral Pendant

Exuding The Artistry Of The Finest Craftsmen Of The Period, A Bronze Age Double Spiral Forms The Pendant Of This Distinctive And Unique Gold Necklace. Hailing From Central Europe During The Late Tumulus To Early Urnfield Periods, The Ornament Is Composed Of A Tightly Wound Round Wire Into Two Spirals With A Loop In The Middle For Suspension. It Is Likely That The Creation Was Originally Sewn Into Clothing, Serving As A Decorative Accessory And Marker Of Social Status.

Today, The Bronze Double Spiral Is A Wearable Art Piece, Set Into A Bespoke 18K Yellow Gold Collar. Always Intended To Be Worn, The Convertible Avant-Garde Setting Allows The Bronze Artifact To Retain Its Original Function As Personal Adornment, While Still Permitting The Ancient Creation To Be Seamlessly Removed For Display As A Decorative Object. Reminiscent Of Later Motifs Incorporated By The Celts Of Central Europe And Ireland, The Spiraled Ornament Still Retains A Tensile Spring After Nearly 3,000 Years Of European History And Finds New Life In A Sleek Necklace.

Several Comparable Bronze Age Spirals Reside In Prestigious Museum Collections Worldwide, Including The Metropolitan Museum Of Art And The Cleveland Museum Of Art.

Necklace: 16″ Length
Bronze Pendant: 4″ High X 3 1/2″ Wide

Circa 1400-1200 Bce

Provenance:
Private Collection, Switzerland
Private Collection, Basel, Switzerland
M.S. Rau, New Orleans