A beautiful Western Asiatic gold pendant, featuring a suspension loop at the top. The piece is composed of a stack of three assorted beads: the top is a coral-orange tubular hardstone, the middle is a barrel-shaped carnelian with white striations. The base of the pendant features a barrel-shaped gold bead and a flat gold cap that flares from the bead. The piece is in excellent condition. Many grand civilisations inhabited the Near East, their wealth and prosperity is witnessed by the very sophisticated precious metal crafting of jewellery. Gold would have been hammered down to a thin layer and manipulated into different shapes. The Repoussé and chasing techniques were used to create designs in high and low relief by hammering shapes into the metal from either the front or the reverse. Gold and silver jewellery were also enriched with gold granules, glass and semi-precious stone inlays and detailed engravings. Very fine granulation along with filigree, were at the centre of Near Eastern and Western Asiatic jewellery production and were later adopted by the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. Measurements: L 1.8cm x W 0.5cm Weight: 0.7g Provenance: Ex Japanese gentleman deceased collection, 1970-2010.