Throughout antiquity, glass was used for jewelry in place of more costly gems. Islamic artisans inherited the glassmaking traditions of the past, and shaped works of great vitality. With jewel-like colors and bold shapes, they created ornaments prized by princess and commoner alike. Imitating lapis, turquoise, emerald, onyx or agate, glass jewelry satisfied the age-old human passion for adornment. Imagine this bangle upon the arm of some dark-eyed beauty as she exchanged laughter and gossip with her friends, dangling her fingers in the cool waters of a fountain. From such a charming clue as this, worn and cherished, we can picture a vanished life, a distant time.