Gold Bracelet with Sphinx Protomes

This stunning piece of jewelry is a prime example of the Greco-Scythian style, where nomadic royal taste met the refined skill of Greek goldsmiths. The bracelet is made of a thick, twisted gold rod ending in the figures of two winged sphinxes that appear to be holding a small decorative link between their paws. Found in a royal burial chamber in Crimea, these sphinxes acted as mystical guardians for the Scythian elite, blending the local traditions of animal-themed art with the classical imagery of the Mediterranean world.