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.

A most unusual scene has been carved onto the polished surface of this precious gemstone: Cupid, the God of Love, rides a dolphin. Classical mythology is famed for its odd couplings and this is certainly one of the most bizarre. Dolphins were often associated with horses. While mighty steeds pulled Apollo’s chariot across the heavens, Neptune, Lord of the Sea, rode across the oceans in a chariot pulled by dolphins. However, what mischievous Cupid is doing on the back of this dolphin is anybody’s guess. However, one need not comprehend this scene in order to enjoy it. It is often the myths that have multiple interpretations that prove most fascinating.