New Kingdom Gems Collar Necklace

This colorful, head-turning necklace reinterprets an ancient Egyptian cuff (ca. 1479–1425 B.C.) in the Museum’s holdings. The original adornment is one of three pairs of hinged bracelets associated with the tomb housing three foreign wives of Thutmose III, who ruled during the New Kingdom period. Each cuff is made of burnished gold and inlaid with carnelian and glass that was once turquoise and dark blue, but has since faded. They’re likewise inscribed on their inner surfaces with the cartouches and epithets of the king, suggesting that they were a royal gift.

Due to the natural elements in this jewelry, the color of the stones may vary.