Gold amulet case

A small hollow gold tube with a slightly uneven, hammered surface, fitted with two upright loops and clusters of tiny granules at the joins. It is shown horizontally on a plain gray ground, with its ends roughly finished. The record dates it to the 1st to 3rd century CE and attributes it to a Roman or Cypriot workshop.

Look closer: Tiny granules of gold clustered where the loops meet the tube.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st–3rd century CE

Medium

Gold

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

4000 × 3200 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76