In antiquity, the value of glass was often equated with that of precious gems. Since its invention about 1600 BC, glass was a favorite material for jewelry, combining brilliant color...
In antiquity, the value of glass was often equated with that of precious gems. Since its invention about 1600 BC, glass was a favorite material for jewelry, combining brilliant color with malleable form. This scaraboid gem has been engraved for use in a ring, in the same manner as stone intaglios. It depicts a stag being pursued by a hunter. Such hunting scenes have a long tradition in the ancient world, and were often associated with the nobility. We can imagine this gem on the hand of its original owner, a means of defining his status in the world. As we hold it in our hands today, we connect directly with the vanished world from which it comes.