Balsamarium

Balsamarium

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Balsamarium
Egypt; 15th c. BC

The balsamarium is an exceptionally fine and well preserved early Egyptian product and shows that in the middle of the 2nd millenium BC a greater range of colours was available for craftsmen than before, but that the established colours (especially blue) kept their leading place. It also shows how valuable glass continued to be considered. The gold chain suggests that it was either worn around the wrist or more probably round the waist. The combination of glass and gold shows how precious glass was in ancient Egypt.