ASTA 107 - Glittica

A roman garnet uguentarium.

1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.

With faceted belly, and narrowed short neck. Cracks. Wear marks. Rare.

H. 36 mm

A late roman carnelian intaglio. Christian emblema.

3rd - 4th century A.D.

The emblem is composed of an anchor and on its sides a fish and a shrimp. Around, a christological inscription (IXT YC). Signs of wear and burns on the surface. small chip on the edge. Parallel: J. Spier, Late Antique and Early Christian Gems, plates 27- 36.

12 x 15 x 4,5 mm.

A Late Roman - Early Christian green glass intaglio, set in a silver ring. Busts of a man, woman and child, with a cross.

4th - 6th century A.D.

On the left: tunicated male portrait; in the center, a small bust of a child; on the right: tunicated bust of a woman, with elaborate hairstyle, with a braid that holds her hair from behind. In the center, a cross. Probably an aristocratic family whose existence is consecrated to the Christian faith. The silver frame is characterized by small dotted decorations with engraved lines. Signs of wear. Parallel : for the typology: J. Spier, Late antique and Early Christian gems, plate 7-11.

Stone 11 x 14 mm; ring size 16 x 19 mm; 7,14 gr.

A rare South Arabian gold ring set with a large banded agate intaglio. Mythological scene.

3rd - 4th century A.D.

South Arabian (Himyarite) ring set with an oval banded agate (brown on white) intaglio. The flat surface of the tapered gem is engraved with the figure of Pan prancing to the right holding a lagobolos(?) in his right hand and the syrinx in the left. He is shown facing a standing figure of Hermes holding a purse of money in his outstretched right hand while a caduceus in his left hand. There are two Sabean letters in the field between the two figures: (M and S'). Very good condition.

Stone 12 x 18 mm; ring size 14 x 19 mm; 11,74 gr.

A large banded agate intaglio set in a Sabean gold ring. Emblema with letters.

1st - 2nd century A.D.

This South Arabian ring is set with an oval banded agate (brown on white) intaglio. The slightly domed surface of the gem shows a central bunch of grapes flanked on the right by four letters (h i ' b) and on the left by two further letters (i t). The whole within a laurel wreath closed with a bow with streamers. Very good condition. Rare.

Stone 15 x 20 mm; ring size 15 x 19 mm; 14,40 gr.

An islamic gold ring set with a large blue sapphire.

12th century A.D.

This ring made of gold sheet over core with ellipitical bezel. Each shoulders has engraved floral design. The high raised bezel, was one each side decorated with engraved intricates pattern (now partially erased). The large oval bezel supports a blue sapphire held by 4 claws. This style of decoration is a translation of the decorative traditions used on garnements and textiles. Slight chips on the edges of the stone. Nice natural blue color. One side of the bezel has been partial damaged, letting the dark core of the mounting uncovered.
Parallel: for similar ring typology see Wenzel, M., Ornament & Amulet, the Nasser D. Khalili collection, n°189, p.66-67

Stone 8 x 12 mm; ring size 14 x 15 mm circa; 4,45 gr

A late roman blue sapphire intaglio set in a gold ring. Peacock.

4th century A.D.

The intaglio shows a peacock in frontal view, making the wheel, his tail wide open. The ‘eye’ design on his tail is marked by globular elements. His head is surmounted by its typical crowned part.  For the ancient Romans and in eastern civilizations such as the Sassanian, like the double-headed eagle, the peacock has been seen in the symbolic forms with mystical and philosophical texts. Peacock is the symbol of decorating, luxury, glory and splendor, life with love, beauty. Reproduced on metal artwork or wall decorations (see Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, inv.32.150.20). Peacock was also the attribute-animal to the goddess Juno. Rare.

Stone diam. 8 mm; ring size diam 17 mm circa; 8 gr.

A very fine Kushan carnelian intaglio. Portrait of a ruler.

1st - early 3rd century A.D.

The young ruler (or prince?) is facing left. He is characterized by hair held by a tenia with curls on the forehead and a slight barbula. Bust covered with a cloak and chlamys. It is closely related to roman gems of the same period. The discussion of the series is to be found inter alia in Callieri, P. Seals and Sealings from the North-West of the Indian Subcontinent and Afghanistan, (4th century B.C. - 11th century A.D.); Local, Indian, Sasanian, Graeco-Persian, Sogdian, Roman. Naples 1997. pp. 259 - 265, pls. 57-64. Parallel: Rahman, A.U. and Falk, H. Seals, Sealings and Tokens from Gandhara. Wiesbaden, 2011. p. 32, no. 01.01.05

12 x 16 x 3,5 mm.

A rare early islamic carnelian seal intaglio. Horseman holding a tamga (?).

5th - 8th century A.D.

The horseman is facing left, on top of a horse, and holds a tamga (?) with his right and a spear with his left. Below, the ground and vegetation. In the field, a star. Through hole. Slight signs of wear. Parallel: Rahman, A.U. and Falk, H. Seals, Sealings and Tokens from Gandhara. Wiesbaden, 2011. p. 123, no. 09.04.09. Hunnish or early Islamic, For an earlier Sasanian horseman, cf. Gignous, P. Intailles sassanides de la collection Pirouzan. in: Acta Iranica; Hommages et opera Minora, vol. III Monumentum H.S. Nyberg. Leiden, 1975. p. 27 and pl. XIX, fig. 5.5.

Diam 21 mm x 8 mm.

A christian hematite seal. The Sacrifice of Isaac.

ca. 5th - 7th century A.D.

Abraham stands left, head turned back, holding a knife over Isaac, who lies on an altar; a ram, tied to a tree is behind him; above, the hand of God. Christian from the Sasanian Empire. One of the earliest studies on the subject is Horn, P. and Steindorff, G in: Königliche Museen zu Berlin. Mittheilungen aus dem Orientalischen Sammlungen. vol. IV: Sassanidische Siegelsteine. Berlin, 1891. p. 5, pl. I, no's. 1078 - 1080. (not identified as Sacrifice of Isaac).
Judith Lerner, whose Christian Seals in the Sasanian Period. Istanbul, 1977. illustrated a number of gems as a coherent group on pp. 18 - 26, figs. 24 - 35, identified the subject and showed the Christian link.
A follow-up was published as: Lerner, J. The Sacrifice of Isaac Revisited: Additional Observations on a Theme in Sasanian Glyptik Art. pp. 39 - 57 in Facts and Artefacts; Art in the Islamic World. Festschrift for Jens Kröger on his 65th Birthday. Leiden/Boston, 2007.
Spier, J. Late Antique and Early Christian Gems. Wiesbaden, 2007, no. 803- 829.
A very fine example, once in the Content Collection, may be found in: Lerner, J. Considerations on an Aspect of Jewish Culture under the Sasanians: The Matter of Jewish Sigillography. in: JOAS, 129. 4 (2009, p. 664, fig 1.
An extensive further bibliography about the type and other closely related subjects may be found in J. Spier's: Late Antique and Early Christian Gems. Wiesbaden, 2007, no's 803 - 833, pp. 145 - 148

Bezel 11 x 14 mm; h. 11 mm.

A group of two late roman bronze rings with red jasper intaglios.

3rd - 4th century A.D.

From left to right: A bronze ring set with a jasper intaglio. Incense burner (?). Ring damaged.
A bronze ring set with an octogonal jasper with Christian monogram.


Stone (monogram) 12 x 14 mm, ring size 16 x 19 mm; Stone (tripod) 9 x 11 mm, ring size 15 x 18 mm.

A group of late roman and late byzantine gilded bronze and silver rings.

4th - 12th century A.D.

From left to right: A bronze ring with round hoop and large oval table with two gilded crescent moon and a solar disc in the center. A bronze ring with rounded bezel and christian monogram.
A bronze ring with rounded hoop and oval bezel with engraved winged-horse (partially gilt).
A silver ring with rounded bezel and Christian monogram.

Pegasus bezel 14 x 19 mm, size 17,5 x 18,5 mm; 2 moons bezel 13 x 18 mm, size 15 x 16 mm circa; silver monogram bezel diam. 13 mm, size 17 x 19 mm; bronze monogram diam 12,5 mm, size 18 x 19 mm.

A group of 5 engraved stones and a gold pendant, roman and near eastern.

1st mill. B.C. to 4th century A.D.

From left to right: An eastern Mediterranean green jasper intaglio with she-wolf feeding. Groundline and star above. An eastern Mediterranean green jasper Fortuna-Tyche. Groundline. An hemispherical hematite sasanian stamped seal (cracks), the base engraved with an enigmatic Zoroastrian symbol. A gold embossed pendant with a group of characters (?). Underneath, a serpent. A neo-babylonian burnt agate seal. Worshiper in front of a temple. Above, crescent moon.

From 11 x 15 mm (bronze inatglio tyche) to 22 x 25 mm (gold pendant).

A late roman garnet intaglio. Radiated bust with a cross.

3rd - 4th century A.D.

Frontal bust with head radiated and draped shoulders. On the right, behind the back, a cross. Slight wear marks.

12 x 14 x 5 mm.

A late roman gold ring with carnelian intaglio. Inscription with astrological attributes.

4th - 5th century A.D.

The hoop is flat within and rounded without with braided wire and plated wires. On top, a box-setting in button flower-shape set with an oval carnelian intaglio with an inscription in greek letters (probably a name) crescent moon and stars : ΑΜΑΡΑΝΤΟΥ(Amarantou). Intact.

Stone 11 x 12 mm; ring size 17 x 18 mm; H. 30 mm; 7,64 gr.

A roman gold ring set with a sugar loaf garnet.

1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.

The thin hoop, angular without and flatten within; lozenge shaped convex bezel with sugar loaf garnet inset. Rare.
Parallel: Marshall, F.H., 1968, n°755-756

int diam 16 mm; stone 3x7x3 mm; 2,79 gr.

A late roman gold ring set with emerald and garnets.

4th - 5th century A.D.

Gold ring with five box-settings containing four cabochon garnets, and in the center a large rectangular emerald root. On each angle 4 spherical plain gold beads saldered together. The hoop is rounded and composed of a double grooved gibbon with in the center of two twisted and roped wires covered within by a gold plaque, extending under the rectangular box-setting onto 4 globular ramifications. Very rare.
Parallels: Marshall, F.H., Finger Rings, 1968, pl. XXI-XXII
British Museum, inv. 1981,0201.14



Int diam 20 mm; bezel 24 x 25 mm . 14,43 gr

A byzantine engraved gold ring with garnet cabochon intaglio. Christian monogram.

5th - 6th century A.D.

With sided hoop, flatten within, the shoulders engraved with latin letters « XC » and « IC ».
The oval bezel ornamented with a plaited gold wire and set with a garnet cabochon intaglio with an engraved christian monogram composed of the RHO symbol and two initials « N-E ». Slight cracks on the stone.

Stone 10 x 14 mm; ring size 19 x 22 mm; 11 gr.

A byzantine gold ring set with a garnet.

4th - 6th century A.D.

With rounded hoop, flatten within and extending in broader shoulders, high raised conical box-setting. The rounded bezel set with a garnet stone. Slight cracks on the stone. Slight restoration (saldering) on the junction bezel/shoulders.

Stone diam. 11 mm; ring size 17 x 19 mm; 5,67.

A late byzantine gold ring set with a garnet intaglio with monogram of a Christian.

4th - 6th century A.D. circa.

With rounded hoop made of a double-ring, the terminals with twisted gold wires. The oval-shaped setting is composed of an embossed hollowed gold sheet adorned with a spiral gold wire and a gold bow containing a garnet intaglio engraved with a cruciform monogram with letters. 

Unusual typology.

Stone 8 x 9 mm; ring size 17 x 19 mm; 3,21 gr.

A late roman gold ring set with an agate.

3rd century A.D.

Kindred type. With rounded hoop without and flatten within, broader angular shoulders, each with grooves, terminating above in volutes. The oval bezel set with a truncated banded agate. 

Stone 8 x 10 mm; ring size 16 x 19 mm; 16,95 mm;

A late roman openwork gold ring set with an agate.

3rd century A.D.

With losange-shaped bezel,very massive; each side with 5 rounded holes (unfinished foliage pattern work ? ). The sides of the hoop are demented with openwork, the projectile shoulders with volute patterns. Sunk rounded setting containing a truncated banded agate. Rare. 

Stone 10 x 11 mm; ring size diam. 20 mm circa; 25,33 gr.

A roman carnelian intaglio set in a postclassical gold ring with agate inserted into the bezel. Bust of Bacchus with thyrsus.

1st century B.C. - A.D.

The intaglio shows a male bust facing left and characterized by well-detailed features. His hair adorned by a band with graves rendered by globular elements such as his eye. Along his neck, a wavy lock ending on his shoulder covered by a folded mantle, and attached by a fibula. In front of him, a scepter (also rendered by globular elements) ending with a flower, probably a thyrsum. By the judging the realism of the features, this bust might be the representation of a ruler in Bacchus. The intaglio is inserted in an oval box-setting, surrounded by a banded agate insert on a larger box-setting. The hoop is plain and massive. Wear marks. Unusual and rare type. 

Int diam 20 mm; bezel 18x22 mm; intaglio 9x11 mm; 15,53 gr.

A late roman two-layered onyx cameo set in a gold ring. Hand pinches earlobe with greek inscription.

3rd - 4th century A.D.

On this cameo, a hand pinches an earlobe between the thumb and forefinger; above a greek inscription— ΜΝΗΜΟΝΕΥΕ ΜΟΥ (Μνμονευε μου) meaning « Remember me ».
In Roman art and literature, the ear-tweaking hand is a common motif, meaning a request for attention. Gems such as this were mementos of love, and were probably given as gifts. The motif of the hand pinching or touching the ear as a stimulus to memory, thought to derive from the writings on natural history by Pliny the Elder, is fairly common in Roman gems, and the Greek inscription translates as 'Remember'. Such inscribed gems were popular, and other mottos such as 'Good Luck', 'Unity', or 'Farewell' also exist.
The gold mounting is with rounded hoop extending on high raised oval bezel containing the cameo. Wear marks on the surface of the ring.
Parallels: Louvre museum, inv. Bj 1296; British museum, inv. 1814,0704.1630; Getty museum, inv. 2001.28.11; Hermitage cat. n. 246, 247, 248, 391

Stone 13 x 19 mm; ring size diam. 15,5 mm; 5,30 gr.