This intaglio is set in an 18 karat 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 BC in Mesopotamia and Aegean Islands. They display 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.
According to myth Athena sprang from Zeus's forehead, fully armed and yelling a war-cry that was heard over the entire earth and through the heavens. Apart from being goddess of war, Athena was also the goddess of wisdom, using her ingenuity in many peaceful pursuits for the betterment of humanity. As a guardian and protector she was patroness of many towns, the most famous of course being Athens. On this delightful intaglio she is seen walking right, fully armed with helmet, spear and aegis (shield), pursued by a playful dog prancing at her feet. For centuries Athena has stood for independence of action and strength of character in women.