Mosaic bead

242MSM
Byzantine / Islamic mosaic glass bead
Date: 8-9 century
Mosaic glass

Elongated bead's matrix is formed by folding a premanufactured mosaic strip over a rod. Composed of transverse and longitudinal sections of multicolored mosaic canes.  
Intact, very good condition.
Height 11 mm, diameter 7 mm

For published archaeological examples see:
- See BBC news publication of a "rare find" of the same bead in York: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-15403877
"Archaeologists believe it was made in the eastern Mediterranean between the 8th and 12th century and similar beads have been found in Viking graves in Scandinavia.
Mr Connelly said it was a rare find in the UK and raised a number of questions."

- V.Kovalevskaya, Komputernaya obrabotka massovogo arhaeologicheskogo materiala is rannesrednevekovih pamyatnikov Evrasii, Moscow, 2000, p. 94 #268, 273
- A.Panini, Middle Eastern and Venetian Glass Beads, Skira, 2007, p. 88 # XVIII, XIX