ARCHAEOLOGICAL OBJECT - ROMAN TIMES - Gold ring with Carnelian intaglio, circa 2nd / 3rd century AD Richly decorated gold ring in which the band widens towards the center, with a dark red carnelian in the center. The ring is inl

weight 5,97gr. | gold | inside measures circa Ø 20mm.  

Richly decorated gold ring in which the band widens towards the center, with a dark red carnelian in the center. The ring is inlaid all around with fine filigree with spectacle-like motifs. On the carnelian, we see the deity Faunus (Pan) depicted with goat′s legs. As attributes, he holds a pedum in his downward-hanging right hand, while holding a bunch of grapes in his forward-held left hand. The ancient Romans considered jewellery to be an essential accessory, for it provided a public display of their wealth. Roman jewellery at first followed trends set by the Etruscans, using gold and glass beads, but as the power and spread of the Roman Empire increased, so too did jewellery designs become increasingly elaborate. Different cultural styles from Greece, Egypt, North Africa, and the Orient were all incorporated to reflect Rome′s prosperity as a dominant, conquering civilisation. The custom of wearing rings was likely introduced by the Sabines, who are described in early legends as wearing gold rings with precious stones. During the Roman Republic it became customary for all the senators, chief magistrates, and at last for the equites also, to wear gold rings, as a way to distinct themselves from the mass of the people. Both men and women would have worn multiple rings on each finger, competing in vanity for the one having the bigger or heavier ring. The extremely sophisticated technique of engraving of gemstones was one of the most luxurious art forms in the Ancient World. Furthermore, in Ancient Roman culture gemstones were amongst the most expensive and lavish objects and were prized above all other possessions. When Greece and Rome merged culturally, the Romans adopted Pan′s iconography and myths into their own native deity, Faunus. Both gods were patrons of shepherds, hunters, meadows, and wild, untamed nature. While Faunus was originally an Italian forest spirit without goat legs, Roman art and literature began depicting him as a satyr a horned, goat-legged figure. Faunus played a major role in one of Rome′s most enduring rituals: the Lupercalia. Held annually in mid-February, this ancient fertility festival celebrated Faunus and the founding of Rome. Young men, dressed in goat-skins, ran through the streets to bless the people, promote agricultural fertility, and ward off evil spirits.
provenance Dutch private collection.
Acquired on the Dutch art market in the 1980′s ♦ Fantastic little masterpiece of Roman goldsmithing ♦

intact

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