It is so rare to find a pair of ancient shards of glass, especially with such a unique shape!  These rich, dark teal ancient shards are paired with one of my favorite antique coin silver dangles from Afghanistan.  These earrings are large but light weight and every so slightly different lengths, which isn't noticeable while wearing.

These ancient glass shards were excavated in Afghanistan, along the Silk Road, a network of trade routes that connected cultures and merchants and spanned from the 2^nd century BCE to the 18^th century.  The glass originated in Rome, where glassware became popularized during the Roman Empire with the invention of glass blowing, around 50 BCE.  Glassware was brought into the homes of most Romans and used on a daily basis. It was also traded along the Silk Road.  These fragments of glass are repurposed from broken vessels that were buried for hundreds of years along the Silk Trade Road and today are made into beads.  Because it is excavated in Afghanistan, I am choosing to call it “ancient glass” instead of “ancient Roman glass.”

Coin silver is made from a mixture of metals with a high pure silver content, often repurposing coins by melting them down.  The coin silver components I work with are antiques from all of the world, ranging from 80-120 years old, found in India, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and many West African countries such as Nigeria and Mali.  The wear and patina of antique coin silver has informed much of my jewelry aesthetic over the years.  The pieces are very special and rare.

Earrings measure 3 ¼” from top of earwire.  All findings used are oxidized sterling silver.