Lotto 171 | A ROMAN CARNELIAN INTAGLIO SET IN A GOLD RING. BUST OF ATTIS.

Bertolami Fine Art - Piazza Lovatelli 1, 00186 Roma

A ROMAN CARNELIAN INTAGLIO SET IN A GOLD RING. BUST OF ATTIS.

A ROMAN CARNELIAN INTAGLIO SET IN A GOLD RING. BUST OF ATTIS.

1st century A.D.

Stone 11x15 mm; int. diam 17 mm; 6,76 gr

The young man is turned to the left, wearing his typical Phrygian cap (from which the long hair comes out) and a long sleeved, heavy, hatched "sweater". He is holding the pedum in his left hand; in his right hand, between two fingers, he is holding a small fruit (which can be identified with an almond), which he carefully observes. According to the myth, a plant, in the form of an almond tree, was born from the blood spilling from his father's (Adgistis) castration (Pausania); Nana, daughter to the king Sangarius, picked an almond and got pregnant, giving birth to Attis. Following the myth, in this intaglio Attis is contemplating the fruit which was the cause of his divine conception. Extraordinary iconography, and of a particular interest, also related to the cult of Cybele and to mysteries, with an allegorical reference to fecundation. The stone is chipped in its upper part, and fragmented at the bottom, partially reintegrated by the gold of the modern mounting.

Provenance: U.K. private collection