Antieke juwelen glossarium
(verklarende woordenlijst)

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z         (alles)

W-shaped earring

A type of earring in the general shape of the letter W, formed by a splayed, coiled rod or by a wire with two descending loops of which the inner arms rise to form a high narrow central loop. Examples are known from c. 800 BC - 600 BC, mainly from Rhodes and Melos. Decorated versions have the outer ends topped with small horizontal discs, and others have superimposed on the discs the heads of griffins or a pomegranate ornament: on some the ornamented discs are turned outward. On later examples the apex of the central curve is masked by an embossed rosette.

Such earrings were worn suspended from a thin wire passing through the earlobe.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson