Millefiori bead

41MSM
Capped millefiori bead
Date: 5-7 century
Mosaic glass

Bead's matrix is formed by folding a premanufactured mosaic strip over a rod. Composed of applied alternatively square sections: concentric with red center and quatrefoil leaves. Red caps at each end.
Intact, very good condition.
Height 12 mm, diameter 12 mm



This type of mosaic beads was produced from 1 century through Migration period, up to 7 century. They have been found in Europe in different cultural context: Frankish, Ostrogoth, Alemani and other Germanic tribes, as well as Anglo-Saxon (see published archaeological examples from Archaeologia Cantiana -  Vol. 7,  1868)
For similar beads see:
-Koch, Ursula. Das Reihengräberfeld bei Schretzheim. Berlin, 1977. Teil 1-Text ;Teil 2- Katalog und Tafeln, taf. 6- M27
-Wieczorek A., Perin P. Die Franken. Philipp von Zabern, 1996, vol. II p. 1005, cat. 6.j
-Véronique Arveiller-Dulong, Marie-Dominique Nenna.  Les Verres antiques du Musée du Louvre III : Parure, instruments et éléments d’incrustation, Paris, Éditions du Louvre, Somogy, 2011, p. 205: 277-21