Thanks, Yankee, for taking the time to write such a long and helpful reply. It confirms the hunch I had about beads from that area.

It's strange how we tend to think of the Mediterranean as having been a "Greek sea" during the Hellenistic area, but in fact the Black Sea was of equal importance for the Greek economy, and there were dozens of Greek trading ports dotted all around its coastline. And it opened - eastward - onto a much more exciting hinterland. Just at the same time it was the Scythians who were the major force in opening up the overland trade routes to China.

I've written to you privately already, but can you tell us something about the bead you attached? Also, I'd like to hear what you (or others) think about this nice little (11 mm) bead with different coloured eyes. At first, I thought it was one of the Persian/Parthian third-to-first century BCE beads that used (wrongly) to be called Amlash, but as I look at it some more, it seems somewhat different - the glass is less opaque and has a different texture and the stringing hole is wider. Or am I just imagining?

All the best,

Will