Roman Carnelian Intaglio, Seated Quadruped, Possibly Hound - Miniature

Roman, probably Late Republican to Early Imperial period. A miniature oval intaglio of translucent orange-red carnelian, its flat face cut with a quadruped seated on its haunches, head raised and forelegs stretched forward. The engraver worked in a pared-down, almost abstract idiom, building the body from a few confident drill hollows and short wheel-cut strokes instead of modeled anatomy. The animal may be a hound, and the old collector's label calls it one, but the simple forms also allow a reading as a cow or bull. Stones like this were set into finger rings and pressed into wax as personal seals. The motif would have worked both as an owner's mark and as a small emblem of loyalty, the hunt, or the herd. The polished, slightly domed stone glows warmly when held to the light. Carnelian was the favorite stone of Roman gem engravers. It was hard enough to hold fine detail and took a high polish, and ancient writers noted that sealing wax did not stick to it, which made it ideal for a signet. Gem cutters worked the stone on a bow-driven lathe fitted with small drills and cutting wheels fed with abrasive powder. The rounded hollows that make up figures in this summary style come straight from that tool. Seen in negative on the stone, a design like this only becomes fully legible when pressed into wax or clay. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 204836

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