Replica of a Celtic glass bead with a double eye motif. The bead is handmade at a glass torch using the ancient winding technique, in which molten glass is wrapped around a metal rod – similar to bead production in the Hallstatt period. Comparable beads appear as early as the Early Iron Age, but their popularity continued into the early medieval period.
- Bead dimensions approx. 9×15 mm, perforation 3 mm – suitable for cords up to 2.5 mm in diameter
- Material: glass
- Made in the Czech Republic
Celtic wound glass beads from the Iron Age represent an important archaeological source for the study of technology, trade, and symbolism within La Tène communities. These are predominantly glass beads produced by winding molten glass onto a metal mandrel, often decorated with applied bosses, eye motifs, or wavy lines in contrasting colours. They are most commonly dated to the Late Iron Age (c. 5th–1st century BC). Finds originate from both settlements and burial grounds, where they occur mainly in female and child graves, less frequently in male contexts. Significant find areas are known from Central Europe, particularly Bohemia, Moravia, southern Germany, Austria, and northern Italy. Research highlights their use as components of necklaces, bracelets, or dress accessories, as well as their potential apotropaic and status-related significance. Chemical analyses of the glass indicate the use of soda-lime glass and suggest long-distance contacts with the Mediterranean region.
Related products
