Collar with Medallion and Pendant (Collar: c. 200–300 CE, Coin: c. 177 CE): Art, History and Details

Collar with Medallion and Pendant (Collar: c. 200–300 CE, Coin: c. 177 CE) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This necklace is an amalgamation of several different pieces. A thick gold chain is attached to a central medallion, which holds a coin of the Roman emperor Commodus in its center, possibly an ancient replica. A second pendant chain is attached to the bottom of the medallion, strung with ten tiny amulets representing figures of gods, goddesses, and theatrical actors.

Object facts

• Title: Collar with Medallion and Pendant
• Date: Collar: c. 200–300 CE, Coin: c. 177 CE
• Culture: Egypt, Alexandria, Roman
• Type: Jewelry
• Technique: gold
• Dimensions: Diameter of central pendant: 4.2 cm (1 5/8 in.); Chain: 40.7 cm (16 in.)
• Collection: GR - Roman
• Department: Greek and Roman Art
• Accession number: 1948.419

A detail from the museum

The undamaged pendant figures include, among others, Baubo, Serapis, Isis-Demeter, and a dwarf (perhaps a comic actor).

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mallon

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.