2,300 years old diadem of hundreds of golden myrtle flowers and leaves.

From this extraordinary exhibit of ancient Greek culture at Oxford.

The Lady of Aegae

Gold funeral jewellery from burial ΛII at Aegae, c. 500 BC,

“The burial of this woman, dating to c. 500 BC, was excavated at Aegae in 1988. The so-called ‘Lady of Aegae’ was Queen and wife of Amyntas I and probably mother of Alexander I. She was buried richly-adorned with gold jewellery and accompanied by silver, bronze, glass and clay vessels, and other precious objects. Amongst her jewellery are a diadem, earrings, necklaces, pendants, brooches, a finger ring, and gold strips which would have been attached to the funeral shroud.”

Gold strap earrings from the burial of ‘The Lady of Aegae’
Gold, from burial ΛII at Aegae, c.500 BC, diameter 3.4 cm

“Gold strap earrings of exquisite craftsmanship in filigree and granulation, decorated with two buds flanking a blossoming flower.”

Meda’s wreath from the tomb of Philip II
Gold, some 80 leaves and 112 flowers surviving, c. 310 BC, diameter 26 cm
“This gold myrtle wreath is amongst the most precious objects found in the antechamber of the tomb of Philip II. It is associated with his wife, the Thracian princess, Meda.”