324 THE MAGIC OP JEWELS AND CHARMS
believes that the interment must have been made at some date between 350 and 330 b.c., just before Alexander's invasion of Persia.13
The
jewels embrace a beautiful gold torque weighing 385 grams (something
over one pound Troy). The hoop terminates in two lions' heads having
cheeks of turquoise, while on the muzzle is a lapis lazuli flanked by
two turquoises ; on the top of the head is a plate of mother-of-pearl.
Bracelets similar in design and decoration to the torque go to complete
the parure. Of even greater interest than the gold torque was a
three-row pearl necklace, 238 of the pearls being still more or less
well preserved ; originally there must have been from 400 to 500 of
them. .Still another valuable necklace consists of 400 beads of
precious or ornamental stone material and 400 gold beads. The stones
represented are turquoise, lapis lazuli, emerald, agate, various
jaspers, red and blond carnelian, feldspar, jade ( ?), hyaline and
milky quartz, amethyst of a pale violet hue, hematite, several marbles
and breccia. A fourth necklace had a row of beads and pendants
incrusted with carnelian, lapis lazuli and turquoise; here the sharp
contrast of the bright red carnelian disturbs the harmonious effect
produced by the combination of the dark blue lapis lazuli and the light
blue turquoise.
The
detached amulets are of various forms, one figuring a sphinx with a
ram's head; this was in white paste with green enamel. Another, of
gold, was rudely fashioned in the form of a lion or a cat, and there
was also a dove of lapis lazuli, poorly executed, the amulets (mainly
of Egyptian type) being of very inferior workmanship as compared with
the jewels. Still they serve to confirm the belief that this heaping up
in the tomb of all the dearest treasures cherished
* Delegation en Perse, vol. viii, Recherches Archéoligiques 3 ème Série, Parie, 1905, pp. 36-58.
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