Egyptian
String of Beads with Ushabti, 2nd century BCE - 1st century BCE
Faience, 55.2 cm (21 3/4 in.)
This turquoise colored necklace is made of Egyptian faience, which is a self-glazing ceramic. The necklace is composed of three strands of hollow tube shaped pieces threaded with rough string. These pieces of faience are oblong and similar but not identical in size. Most are shades of turquoise color but some are off white or brown. The necklace ends in a pendant of a ushabti figure, also made of faience. These figures generally represented servants and were deposited in Egyptian tombs to do labors required of the deceased in the land of the dead. This one is highly polished, brilliant blue, and only roughly defined. There is a paper tag attached to the necklace with the word Prussian handwritten in ink.
Little Salon
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.