Bactrian Etched Carnelian Bead Strand Afghanistan Rare Museum Quality Ancient Beads ~ca.2nd Millennium BC Start Price USD 998.00 Current Price USD 998.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, July 25, 2008 End Time Friday, August 01, 2008 Location Bali - "Island of the Gods" See more about 'Bactrian Etched Carnelian Bead Strand Afghanistan' Description Bactrian Etched Carnelian Bead Strand Afghanistan Click to View Image Album Click to View Image Album Click to View Image Album   Agustus-Collection     Genuine Ancient Bactrian Etched Carnelian Bead Strand ~ ca. 2nd Millennium B.C.   Item # 40 2365 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________       Weight : ca. 14.4 grams   Size of beads : Assorted from ca. 2.4 mm to 13.9 mm diameter   Perforation / hole diameter : Assorted from ca. 0.5 mm to 1.9 mm   Stone bead color : Assorted shades of orange with white etching   Amount of beads : 136 pcs.   Length of strand : ca. 50 cm = 19.68 inches   Origin of all beads : Ancient Bactria ~ sourced in Afghanistan   Age:   : circa 2nd millennium B.C. Condition of beads : Excellent — pristine condition!   There are no damages and no repairs.   The beads and the etching on the beads are 100 % genuine and original as found.   The patina is magnificent.   The surface has some expected corrosions, weathering, wear, degradation and abrasions as a consequence of age and extended burial.   Some minor original sedimentary dispositions remain on part of the surface.   These beads are strung temporarily. The string used is new.     Remarks : These extremely rare ancient etched Carnelian beads date to approx. the early 2nd millennium B.C.   The beads were excavated in Afghanistan (near the city of Balkh in Northern Afghanistan) and originate from the Bactrian period.   Balkh is located in the North of Afghanistan which in the antiquity was called the city of Bactria.   For a long period Bactria was one of the important ancient civilizations.     Etched Carnelian This type of beads that have been given designs by means of adding an alkali, soda or potash are usually called “etched” thought no acid is involved. The design was painted with alkali onto the bead and the bead was heated for a short time. The alkali penetrated the surface of the bead and spread out under the surface, leaving a smooth indelible white line.       History : Bactria is an ancient country lying between the mountains of the Hindu Kush and the ancient Oxus River and dates to circa the late 3rd to the early 1st millennium B.C.   Bactria was the Greek name for the area of Bactra (modern Balkh, Afghanistan)   In the 1st millennium B.C. and later, Bactria was especially important from about 600 B.C., serving for much of the time as a meeting place not only for overland trade between East and West but also for the crosscurrents of religious and artistic ideas. Bactria's capital was Bactra, also called Bactra-Zariaspa (modern Balkh, Afghanistan). Bactria was a fertile country, and a profusion of mounds and abandoned water channels testifies to its ancient prosperity.   The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (or Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom) covered the areas of Bactria, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 B.C. to 125 B.C.   The expansion of the Greco-Bactrian Empire into northern India from 180 B.C. established the Indo-Greek Kingdom.     Bibliography on Glass Beads -          Stern, E. Marianne, and Birgit Schlick-Nolte, Early Glass of the Ancient World 1600 BC - AD 50, Ernesto Wolf Collection. Gerd Hatje, Ostfildern, 1994, Germany. -          Spaer, Maud, Ancient glass in the Israel Museum: beads and other small objects, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2001. -          Lois Sherr Dubin, The History of Beads - From  30,000 B.C. to the Present, Thames and Hudson, London           Don’t miss the opportunity to own a genuine piece of ancient history!           All photos are taken form the actual item. Our photographs have been enlarged to show details. Most details shown in the large image are actually not visible to the naked eye. We have made the image as close as possible to the original item when viewed on our screen. Depending on the viewers monitor settings, these items may appear a few shades lighter or darker in comparison to the original object.     HOME          GUARANTEE & RETURN POLICY            STORE POLICY          SHIPPING            PAYMENT            PROCEDURE           GUIDES             FAQ s            About the Seller     Payment Back to Top       I accept the following forms of payment: PayPal We prefer PayPal, but also accept direct bank to bank wire transfer. 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