This page was created by Junyi Wu.  The last update was by Jeffrey Forgeng.

OLD Art in an Early Global World at WAM: A WAM/College of the Holy Cross Collaboration

What does this Necklace tell us about the Medieval Globe?

Junyi Wu, College of the Holy Cross, Class of 2026


This necklace, as one small piece of jewelry from the long-ago Byzantine Empire, might be easy to miss in its display case. But the precious stones tell stories, like the political ambition of the Emperor. Behind this dainty object we can see the shape of the medieval globe, since the gold, emeralds, sapphire, pearls, and other stones were brought together from different places of the world. The materials and style of the necklace convey the global travel and communication of the period. The focus on the color of the stones connects this piece to the Floor Mosaic Border with Peacocks, which is also constructed from beautiful small colored stones. But most importantly, crafted in the time and place of a wide variety of conflicts, the necklace tells a story of the resilience of people in search of beauty. 

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