Treasures of the Sunken Island

Large "Corallo Sciacca" Necklace in Three Rows, Italy c. 1900

€ 2,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Large "Corallo Sciacca" Necklace in Three Rows, Italy c. 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 color. Depending on the region, sea depths and growing conditions, the sea creatures develop specific color nuances, such as the deep red Sardegna corals, which are fished around the island of Sardinia. Sicily produced a special coral color in the 19th century, 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 ended, a fierce dispute broke out over which country should own the new island. The Kingdom of Both Sicilies considered it a natural part of its territory and named it Ferdinandea 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 it 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 only remained 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-colored 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 had once been the island. Legend has it that 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, meaning that they become thicker towards the middle. The necklace, which we had restrung, is held in place by an original clasp made of gold-plated tombac. A magnificent piece of jewelry with its very own history! Illustration: Eruption of the island of Ferdinandea by Camillo de Vito (1831), private collection.

Size & Details

Treasures of the Sunken Island

€ 2,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

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