Enquiry about object: 10041
Ancient Indus Valley Civilisation Agate Beads
Indus Valley Civilisation, north-western India 3300BC-1300BC
length of individual beads: between 1.4 and 2.9cm, overall length: 34.1cm, weight: 121g
Provenance
private collection, London, UK
Each of this fine group of 15 ancient Indus Valley culture rhomboidal shaped beads has been hand-cut from banded quartz. They are between 3,000 and 6,000 years old.
Each bead has been drilled from either end inwards so that the holes from each end meet towards the middle to make one hole. Rarely however do the two holes align perfectly. This mismatch is important in determining that the bead is ancient and drilled using this early technique.
The beads are threaded onto modern thread (to keep them together) but retain an old collecting label which reads on one side ‘no. 217 Ternice(?) Coll. 1913’, and on the other ‘Prehistoric Beads’.
Similar examples are illustrated in Sherr Dubin (2009, p.44).
The Indus Valley Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in north-western South Asia. The broad dates of its existence are from 3300BC to 1300BC.
Each bead has wear and patina consistent with great antiquity.
References
Sherr Dubin, L., The Worldwide History of Beads, Thames & Hudson, 2009.
