The crown is based primarily upon that of Maria of Alania.³ Its inverted conical shape is one of the two the distinguishing characteristic of “middle Byzantine” women's crowns. The other less prevalent characteristic is points projecting above the body of the crown. Both these characteristics survive to the end of the empire.

One of the most prevalent decorative techniques across a wide range of élite metalwork was to string pearls on a wire held by loops to the surface of the object. At times the pearls were run in a channel defined by beaded or twisted wire as here, or otherwise simply run around the margin of other decorative elements such as enamels.