A Roman Decorated Glass Spindle Whorl, Roman Imperial Period, ca. 2nd - 3rd century CE Funerary & Religious Equipment finely carved rectangular plaque is

finely carved rectangular plaque is the face of the god Bes

frequently incorporated into necklaces

Avian imagery held deep ritual significance in Moche cosmology

Teeter et al

A Roman Decorated Glass Spindle Whorl, Roman Imperial Period, ca. 2nd - 3rd century CE Funerary & Religious Equipment finely carved rectangular plaque isA discoid glass spindle whorl formed on a dark ground and decorated with applied trails of opaque white and turquoise creating intersecting bands punctuated by circular eye motifs. The central perforation allowed the whorl to be mounted on a spindle shaft, where its weight regulated rotational speed during the spinning of fibers into thread. The reverse remains undecorated, emphasizing the applied ornament on the working face. Spindle whorls were