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Bead

Asian Art

On View: Asian Galleries, West, 2nd floor (China)
This pair of glass beads was made during an early period of highly inventive glass bead making in China from the fifth to third centuries b.c. The raised-eye motifs show the influence of beads that had been made in Egypt, India, and western Asia since the third millennium b.c. as protection against the “evil eye.” These beads have an earthenware core, to which drops of glass paste were applied to create the multilayered eyes. No evidence shows that Chinese eye beads were believed to have protective qualities; most likely they were made for personal adornment.
MEDIUM Earthenware with polychrome decoration
  • Place Made: China
  • DATES 5th–4th century B.C.E.
    PERIOD Warring States Period
    DIMENSIONS 1 x 1in. (2.5 x 2.5cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Asian Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 1996.70.2
    CREDIT LINE Gift of Giselle Croes
    EXHIBITIONS
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Asian Galleries, West, 2nd floor (China)
    CAPTION Bead, 5th–4th century B.C.E. Earthenware with polychrome decoration, 1 x 1in. (2.5 x 2.5cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Giselle Croes, 1996.70.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 1996.70.1_1996.70.2_PS2.jpg)
    IMAGE group, 1996.70.1_1996.70.2_PS2.jpg.
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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     <em>Bead</em>, 5th–4th century B.C.E. Earthenware with polychrome decoration, 1 x 1in. (2.5 x 2.5cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Giselle Croes, 1996.70.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 1996.70.1_1996.70.2_PS2.jpg)