Details

COLEM:2009.5

Colchester Collections

The Mountnessing Pendant

This Elizabethan gold and gemstone pendant was found by a metal detectorist in 2006. It is known as the Mountnessing Pendant and features eight diamonds surrounding a ruby mounted in a gold collet. The back of the piece is engraved and would originally have been enamelled – traces of the dark blue enamel can still be seen on the reverse. The design of the pendant is typical for the period being elaborate and made from gold. They often had teardrop pearls hanging from them and it is possible that when it was new this one had a pearl suspended from the gold loop at the bottom. Pendants were worn suspended from a necklace, worn on a ribbon around the neck, attached to a dress, or even worn in the hair as an ornament. Portraits of Queen Elizabeth I show her wearing similar pendants to this one hanging from her dress.

1550 - 1650

Elizabethan

gold, diamond, ruby

length: 23.00 mm
width: 19.00 mm
depth: 5.00 mm