A fine restrung Western Asiatic necklace of lapis lazuli featuring a lotus flower pendant as the centrepiece. The beads increase in size towards the centre and display a variety of shapes including rectangular, rhombic and barrel-shaped. Interspersed between them are long, thin pointed beads, each engraved with short vertical incisions. The lotus centrepiece is triangular in shape, with three vertical incisions indicating the petals and an additional disc-shaped bead at the base, perhaps representing a stamen. The beads feature natural striations of white and some feature decorative incisions. Please note this necklace is unclasped and threaded on string. Lapis lazuli stone was highly regarded in Mesopotamia and the Near East in general. Rulers and members of the elite had the custom of being buried with ornaments made partly or entirely of this semi-precious stone. The first use of this beautiful, vibrant rich blue stone dates back to the Neolithic, when it was first mined in the Near East and exported to the Mediterranean area and South Asia. Half length: (circa) 42.5cm Beaded half length: (circa) 23cm Provenance: Ex Japanese private collection, deceased, 1970-2010.