This genuine antique Classical Revival carnelian intaglio has been set in a modern 18 karat gold ring.
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 the 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.
The revival of interest in all things Greek and Roman sprang from aesthetic appreciation of ancient art, particularly sculpture; and the aristocracy's deep understanding of mythology acquired by a rich classical education. They enjoyed seeing gods and goddesses in their various roles. The figure on the left is most likely Hermes with one arm raised turning back to look at a woman who appears to be Artemis. Hermes was barn of Zeus, father of the gods, and the nymph Maia. He was the 'divine' messenger, god of commerce and flight, wearing his trademark traveler's hat, petasos and carrying a winged staff. Artemis was goddess of the hunt, who is usually seen with quiver and bow. She was also protector of women in childbirth, and watched over young girls in puberty. On this intaglio these two deities seem to be in a lively discussion, skillfully engraved to give life and. animation to beings of myth and imagination.