The Naix Treasure

Photograph of eight necklaces.

The Naix Treasure

Medium:
Varies: gold, glass, pearl, amethyst and emerald
Dimensions:
L. 47 cm; L. 35 cm; L. 40 cm; L. 55 cm; L. 32 cm
Context:
Naix-aux-Forges, France
Date:
Roman, 175–225 CE
Inventory Number:
inv. 56.125; inv. 56.121; inv. 56.126; inv. 56.127; inv. 56.119; inv. 56.117; inv. 56.130
Lender:
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
© BnF

Found in 1809 in the ruins of Nasium (present day Naix-aux-Forges) in eastern France, these eight necklaces were accompanied by some 1,450 Roman silver coins, now dispersed.

One of the necklaces is made of gold tubes separating five coins and two cameos. The cameos depict the goddess Minerva with her helmet pushed back on her head and the empress Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus (r. 193–211 CE). The five coins were minted under Septimius Severus, his sons Caracalla and Geta, and their much-admired predecessor Hadrian (r. 117–138 CE).