A rare Sumerian Copper Pin with Lapis Snake Finial, ca. 3rd millennium BCE Medium - Iron or in death with the

or in death with the hope of rebirth

It is re-strung as a necklace on a modern 18K yellow gold chain that can be adjusted up to 18 inches

Technical analysis indicates that the figure was crafted in separate sections

the umbo (the protrusion at the top of the shell) is simply but powerfully carved in the form of a bird's head

1905 – April 4

A rare Sumerian Copper Pin with Lapis Snake Finial, ca. 3rd millennium BCE Medium - Iron or in death with theA long copper pin with a blue green patina over a red brown oxide ground. The finial is carved from deep blue lapis lazuli and takes the form of a compact, stylized coiled snake with an enlarged head marked by simple incised lines. Pins of this type served as luxury dress or hair fasteners, with the carved finial functioning as a visible ornament that signaled personal status. The combination of a metal shaft and a hard stone finial is well documented