Two Hellenistic glass beads
3-1 century BCE
Eastern Mediterranean

Rod formed wound glass red and blue beads. Matrix with opposed indentations along the axis. Intact, good condition. Up to height 9 mm, diameter 12 mm.

During the excavation of an ancient house in the city of Rhodes (1966-1967), a large amount of debris from a glass factory was recovered. The main production was evidently devoted to bead-making. Thousands of beads were discovered and the similar beads were among them. See full report in:
- G. D. Weinberg, “Glass Manufacture in Hellenistic Rhodes,” Archaiologikon Deltion 24 (1969), pp. 143-151, pl. 76.

For similar published examples see also:

- D.Nenna, Exploration archeologique de Delos, 32: Les verres, Paris, Athenes, EFA, De Boccard, 1999, pl.52 # E98, E99.
- Ve´ronique Arveiller-Dulong, Marie-Dominique Nenna.  Les Verres antiques du Musée du Louvre III : Parure, instruments et éléments d’incrustation, Paris, Éditions du Louvre, Somogy, 2011, p. 120: #179-22,25,29; p.128: #183-32; p.132:#185-15.
- Alexeeva E.M. Antichniye busi severnogo prichernomoriya, Academy of Science, Moscow, 1978, table 33: 59.