memories-of-ancients:

Gold earring with Nike driving a chariot, Greece, 350-325 BC

from The Museum of Fine Arts Boston

ok wowww.

I was extremely curious about this (how big? how heavy? is it solid gold? it looks so small and so detailed, how the heck was it made with the tools of the time?) and I did an image search and found this video (from about 11 years ago, on Vimeo, telling the story of how it was recovered after a theft) (it does answer some of the questions and give a clearer idea of the size) (in case anyone else is curious!)

(the OP’s link also provides some detail about how it was made:

The ornament is composed of more than a hundred individual elements soldered together. The bodies of the figures are crafted from gold sheet that is embellished with wirework details and small gold balls. The honeysuckle palmette is fashioned into curved petals and circular stamens outlined with fine twisted wires; remnants of enamel survive on several of the stamens. In the center of the leaf is a tear-shaped fruit encrusted with dense gold granulation. A hoop on the underside was probably attached to an ear wire, which is now missing.