gems, antique gems, antique jewelry, engraved gems, glyptic

Hoffmann and von Claer present a catalogue and technical study of 137 ancient gold and silver objects, principally jewelry, from the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg. The objects span a broad chronological range and include grave finds, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings, fibulae, ornamental pins, brooches, hair ornaments, finger rings, and miscellaneous objects, with an appendix devoted to forgeries and questionable pieces. Each catalogue entry provides dating, detailed description, technical examination, comparative discussion, and bibliography, with particular emphasis on methods of manufacture and goldsmithing. The volume is extensively illustrated and is especially valuable for its close examination of ancient jewelry from the standpoint of craftsmanship and technology rather than style and iconography alone.