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Bactrian Gold Treasure from Afghanistan, coming soon....
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Jewelry of the Ancients

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JEWELRY OF THE ANCIENTS. 401
leaves supporting small pendants. The chains depending from it are stout flat almond-shaped pieces of pierced work.
It is curious to observe in some cases bits of mother-of-pearl set amongst valuable stones ; and square pastes now colourless side by side with the richest : perhaps they were passed off upon the Goth for real Opals by the court jeweller of the day. It is very singular that neither the Ruby nor the Carbuncle appears at all ; these stones must have been purposely left out for some mystic reason, probably being regarded as of too Martial a dye.
Most interesting, as it explains the destination of the treasure, is a large Greek cross bearing the inscription on both sides—
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
which records its dedication by Sonnica in the church of S. Maria in Sorbaceis, " in the grove of sorb.apples," supposed to be the present S. Maria do Abaxo, placed at the foot of the hill on which stands the city of Toledo.3
It may be remarked here that the Visigoths had enjoyed " the first pick " of the plunder of the dismembered empire. " The nuptial gift which, according to the custom of his nation, was offered to Placidia (by Adolphus, Alaric's brother and successor), consisted of the rare and magnificent spoils of her country. Fifty beautiful youths in silken robes carried a large basin in each hand, and one of these basins was filled with pieces of gold, the other with precious stones of an inestimable value " (Photius, quoting Olympiodorus).
 
 

 
 
CROWN OF CHARLEMAGNE.
Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the West by Pope Leo on Christmas-day, a.d. 800, in the church of St. Peter's, Rome. His crown may have been made in that city for the occasion ; certainly its ornamentation has more of the Byzantine than the
 
 

 
 
3 M. Lasteyrie has published a full plates are the most successful speci-description in 4to. of these crowns, mens of the art known to me, the illustrated with facsimiles the actual I gems appearing as if actually before size in chromolithograph. These j the eye.
* 2d
 
 

 
     
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