Iron Age Biblical Bronze Bracelet 7cm Judea Kingdom Relic COA Antiquity Artifact For Sale

Ancient Iron Age II Judean Bronze Open Cuff Bracelet (~7 cm)

Authenticity & Guarantee

• Provenance: Ex-private European collection, legally acquired from international sales; Iron Age Judean / Southern Levantine sphere.

Item Specifications

• Object: Cast & Forged Bronze Open-End Cuff Bracelet / Armlet

• Culture / Period: Iron Age II (Kingdom of Judah / Ancient Levant)

• Date Range: Circa 10th Century BC – 6th Century BC (c. 1000 BC – 586 BC)

• Dimensions: ~6.5 cm – 7.5 cm outer diameter

• Material: Heavy Cast & Hammered Bronze (Copper Alloy)

• Form & Architecture: Robust circular penannular (open-ended) hoop with a flattened/faceted exterior band; tapering towards thickened, flared terminal heads engineered to allow slight flex for wrist wear

• Condition: Exceptional, complete archaeological state. Fully intact hoop structure, unbroken terminal ends, preserved under a thick, authentic sand-gold and desert-tan mineral patina with olive-green cuprite undertones and intact earthen burial deposits.

Historical Context & Iron Age Judean Lore

Jewelry of the Kingdom of Judah

During the Iron Age II period in ancient Judea, open bronze cuff bracelets (ṣāmîḏ) were worn as indicators of personal wealth, social status, and tribal identity by both elite women and military leaders. Heavy copper-alloy bangles with flared terminals were frequently mentioned in biblical inventory texts as precious family heirlooms and votive offerings presented at local sanctuaries across the Levant (Ref: Barkay, Northern Sinai Studies: Iron Age Sites, Tel Aviv University, 1985; Platt, Jewelry of the Ancient Near East, Archaeological Institute of America, 2003).

Forged Penannular Architecture

The penannular open-cuff design allowed the metal band to be custom-fitted by local metalsmiths around the wrist or upper forearm. Forged from thick cast bronze stock, the flared terminal pads provided structural reinforcement against bending fatigue while protecting the wearer's skin from sharp edges.

Typological Analysis & Exact Classification

Exact Typological Classification

• Primary Class: Iron Age Southern Levantine Open Cuff Bracelet

• Sub-Class: Flared Terminal Penannular Type (Iron Age II Judean Class)

Comparable Archaeological Examples & Museum Accession Numbers

• Israel Museum, Jerusalem (IAA Collection): Iron Age II bronze open-cuff bracelets from Judean fortress excavations (Lachish / Tel Beersheba).

• British Museum (Accession No. 1888,0208.14): Iron Age Levantine copper-alloy penannular armlet.

• Metropolitan Museum of Art (Accession No. 62.222.18): Near Eastern Iron Age bronze cuff bracelet with expanded terminals.

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