Earring
New Kingdom, mid- to late Dynasty 18, about 1400–1295 BCE
Glass
2.7 × 0.3 cm (1.1 × 0.1 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
An Ancient Egyptian craftsman created this earring by first softening dark-blue glass with heat and bending it around a rod. They then fused a cane of white glass to the main body of the earring. A wire strung through the top would have allowed the wearer to hang this earring from their pierced ear. This particular style was popular during the New Kingdom (about 1550–1069 BCE), when Egyptian men, women, and children of all social classes wore earrings made from glass, precious metals, or stone.
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