TT346: Ancient Decorative Gold Ornaments

These tiny gold ornaments were made in roughly 600BC by the Saka people in what is now Eastern Kazakhstan. It is probable that they were intended to be sewn into clothing as decoration, and were a sign of both wealth and social status. They are (obviously) hand-made but remarkably uniform and highly detailed, reflecting a high degree of craftsmanship. About 4cm high, each piece represents a man holding two vines