For Immediate Release Media contact: Orly Telisman The Field Museum PR Department 312/665-7100 media@fieldmuseum.org Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization The Field Museum February 13, 2009 - July 5, 2009 Media Preview Wednesday, February 11, 2009 A rich array of jewelry from the ancient Near East, Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization, will be featured in The Field Museum’s new T. Kimball and Nancy N. Brooker Gallery this spring. Since ancient times, jewelry has been worn as adornment, memento, and a sign of status. The exquisite artifacts presented in this exhibition, some more than 7,000 years old, illuminate the culture and customs of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Levant, Persia and the Islamic Middle East. The Field Museum is pleased to partner once again with the National Jewelry Institute, organizers of Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry. This prestigious exhibition features artifacts from renowned collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Princeton University Art Museum and the Israel Museum. In addition to the breathtaking jewelry, the exhibition features maps and illustrations that place the jewelry in historical and cultural context. Additionally, several key pieces from The Field Museum’s collection will be on display complementing the exhibition. The Field Museum’s remarkable collection of 23,000 artifacts from the 5,000-year-old city of Kish, Iraq has been viewed and studied by scholars worldwide. These pieces were excavated between 1923 and 1933 by scientists from both The Field Museum and Oxford University. From at least 3200 BC through the 7th century AD, Kish held an extraordinary position in Mesopotamian history. This exhibition is free with paid general admission to The Field Museum. Ticket prices can be found online at www.fieldmuseum.org/plan_visit. The Field Museum is located at 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. For further information, call (312) 922-9410 or visit fieldmuseum.org. Download Images To download a 300 dpi jpg image directly to your computer, click on the thumbnail images below. Caption information for all images can be downloaded in PDF format below. Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization Gold necklace elements, with turquoise, gray chalcedony, glass Iran, late 14th to early 15th century C.E. Photograph © 1989 The Metropolitan Museum of Art Islamic jewelry brought in the use of colored stones. Bust of a King Kish East, Sasanian Period (AD 224 - 637) Photograph by John Weinstein © The Field Museum The Kish Expedition excavated seven buildings whose walls were embellished with elaborate stucco decoration. The figure shown here is that of a Sasanian king, identified by his crown as either Shapur II (A.D. 310-379) or Bahram V (A.D. 420- 438). For additional images, contact the press office at (312) 665-7100 or media@fieldmuseum.org. << Return to the Press Room