Large Roman Glass and Silver Filigree Pendant Necklace

This beautiful sterling necklace features a diamond shaped piece of Roman glass sitting atop a large silver filigree backing, hanging from a heavy silver chain. Roman Glass is unmistakably recognized by the luminous colors that can be seen with the naked eye within the glass. This unique glass was first created in the first centuries CE, in the Roman Empire, when glass-making techniques were revolutionized by the introduction of glass blowing. The glass had a bluish-aqua tint to it and was used mainly for bowls and vessels in all shapes and sizes. The colors that can be seen in Roman glass today are a result of the glass reacting with climactic and geological elements – heat, water, various minerals in the earth – for the thousands of years that the pieces have been buried in the earth. All these elements came together and caused many chemical reactions that resulted in brilliant, iridescent, Roman Glass. The pieces of Roman glass that are incorporated into the jewelry are found at excavations throughout the Holy Land.