Roman Carnelian Intaglio of an Enthroned Deity, 100 CE - 300 CE
Carnelian-Gold
FJ.6811
This Genuine Ancient Seal Has Been Set in a Modern 18 Karat White Gold Rin The art of glyptics, or carving on colored precious stones, is probably one of the...
This Genuine Ancient Seal Has Been Set in a Modern 18 Karat White Gold Rin
The art of glyptics, or carving on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an incised design, were made as early as the fourth and third millennia B.C. in Mesopotamia and the Aegean Islands. They exhibit a virtuosity of execution that suggests an old and stable tradition rooted in the earliest centuries. The tools required for carving gems were simple: a wheel with a belt-drive and a set of drills. Abrasives were necessary since the minerals used were too hard for a metal edge. A special difficulty of engraving intaglios, aside from their miniature size, was that the master had to work with a mirror-image in mind.
The image of an enthroned deity has been carved onto the polished surface of this precious gemstone. The bearded god holds a long staff in his left hand and the winged Goddess of Victory in his open right hand. This miniature goddess prepares to crown the great deity with a laurel wreath, the sign of a champion. By all indications, the identity of this god can be assumed to be that of Jupiter, the mighty King of the Gods. Although this attribution can be debated, the outstanding beauty of this ring and the remarkable glyptic artistry of the intaglio cannot. Whether this ring represents Jupiter, the King of the Gods, or perhaps an emperor is uncertain; however, this gorgeous ring would certainly be a fitting emblem for such a powerful god.
The art of glyptics, or carving on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an incised design, were made as early as the fourth and third millennia B.C. in Mesopotamia and the Aegean Islands. They exhibit a virtuosity of execution that suggests an old and stable tradition rooted in the earliest centuries. The tools required for carving gems were simple: a wheel with a belt-drive and a set of drills. Abrasives were necessary since the minerals used were too hard for a metal edge. A special difficulty of engraving intaglios, aside from their miniature size, was that the master had to work with a mirror-image in mind.
The image of an enthroned deity has been carved onto the polished surface of this precious gemstone. The bearded god holds a long staff in his left hand and the winged Goddess of Victory in his open right hand. This miniature goddess prepares to crown the great deity with a laurel wreath, the sign of a champion. By all indications, the identity of this god can be assumed to be that of Jupiter, the mighty King of the Gods. Although this attribution can be debated, the outstanding beauty of this ring and the remarkable glyptic artistry of the intaglio cannot. Whether this ring represents Jupiter, the King of the Gods, or perhaps an emperor is uncertain; however, this gorgeous ring would certainly be a fitting emblem for such a powerful god.