Pendenti in vetro di forma circolare. Spunti di ricerca dagli esemplari del Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Aquileia e dei Civici Musei di Storia ed Arte di Trieste

Abstract

The pendants of circular shape, in natural or colored glass, essentially dated from the IVth to the VIth centuries, are a type of personal adornments of short diffusion. They were used as amulet, inserted in a collar or used apart, with decorations refering to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, diseases, specially the ones concerning eyes or stomach. These objects are known essentially in Syria, where we can locate the main or the sole production centre at Antioch on the Orontes, and also in Palestine. The discoveries in Central and Northern Europe are sporadic. The Museum of Aquileia, in North Adriatic, distinguishes itself with 32 specimens, found in situ; at Trieste the museum possesses only 13 copies, proceeding from the same city, as it was the last stage in the sea trade wtih Alexandria, specially for timber supply, or from Aquileia.

Keywords

• Aquileia
• Trieste
• pendants
• amulet
• decorations
• lion