Lost Island Treasures

Antique Necklace From "Corallo Sciacca" In Three Rows, Italy Around 1900

€ 890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Necklace From "Corallo Sciacca" In Three Rows, Italy Around 1900

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Corals from the Mediterranean come in different shades of colour. Depending on the regions, depths of the sea and growing conditions, the marine animals develop specific color nuances, such as the deep red Sardegna corals, which are fished around the island of Sardinia. Sicily provides a special coral colour, and the history of these marine treasures is extremely exciting. In July 1831, an undersea volcano erupted off the town of Sciacca on the south coast of Sicily. Fishermen observed the explosions and were astonished to discover that the volcano had formed a new island. As soon as the eruptions ceased, a fierce dispute broke out over which country the new island should belong to. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies considered it a natural part of its territory and named it Ferninandea after its king, Ferdinand II. However, Great Britain also laid claim to the new territory, which was strategically located on important shipping routes, and named it Graham Island. The French fleet also claimed the island, which they called Julia, and Spain also laid claim to it. The dispute was finally settled by nature: by 1832, the waves had eroded the island to such an extent that it sank into the sea and was only preserved as a shoal. But what does this have to do with corals? The repeated undersea volcanic eruptions and numerous earthquakes had killed off large quantities of coral, which formed one of the richest deposits in the entire Mediterranean. These subfossil corals had taken on a salmon-coloured hue through storage in the water, which made them unmistakable. This treasure of the sea was discovered in 1875 when Bettu Ammareddu, the captain of a trawler, was fishing on the shoal that was once the island. According to legend, his necklace, which he had received as a gift from his sweetheart, fell into the water. When he dived for the necklace, he discovered that the seabed was covered in coral. Coral mining soon began, but just as quickly, by 1915, the deposits were completely exhausted. In this necklace, we see particularly beautiful corals arranged in three rows. These are pearls from around 1900 with the characteristic salmon hue that makes the "Corallo Sciacca" so desirable. The strands are arranged in a graduated pattern, i.e. they become thicker towards the center. The necklace, which we have had re-strung, is held by an original clasp made of gold-plated tombac. A magnificent piece of jewellery with its very own history! Illustration: Excavation of the island of Ferdinandea by Camillo de Vito (1831), private collection.

Size & Details

Lost Island Treasures

€ 890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

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