Group of five Egyptian Red Glass Penannular Earrings and Hair Rings, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, 1550-1295 BCE

A rare and cohesive assemblage of five penannular ornaments, each formed from thick red glass canes that have been carefully bent into a distinctive C-shape. The group is graduated in size, ranging from 3/8 to 3/4 inches in diameter, with three smaller examples and two larger. The glass is of a deep, saturated red hue, deliberately chosen to imitate red jasper, a material highly prized in the New Kingdom for both its aesthetic appeal and symbolic associations. The larger ornaments were likely designed to be clipped directly onto the earlobe, while the smaller examples were woven into the hair. This configuration is consistent with elite cosmetic practices documented in 18th Dynasty tomb paintings, in which hair and earlobe adornments formed an integral part of ritualized grooming and display. These ornaments exemplify the intersection of beauty, identity, and protective symbolism in the personal attire of the New Kingdom. Red glass was among the most technically demanding and materiall