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Ancient 21.5k Roman Carnelian Intaglio Ring

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Details: This ring is a sublime artifact dating from Ancient Roman times. The engraved intaglio is typical of mid-Imperial era Roman rings. It contains a wonderfully engraved portrait of a hippocampus - a mythical creature with a horse head and the body of a fish - known to be equally good on land as in the sea. Hippocampus were thought to pull Posiden's chariot. 

Eros, the winged god of love, is depicted standing on one leg on the back of this creature in a joyful and mischievous manner. It evokes the idea that love, much like the ocean, is boundless and can move unpredictably, carrying with it both strength and vulnerability.


The intaglio was carved on red carnelian- a popular gemstone used to adorn rings and other jewelry during this time. The gemstone is in a bezel setting on a broad gold dish to emphasize the importance of the setting.

It is in good condition with no sign of of significant adjustments, tooling, or additional elements. The gold has been tested as historic gold. 

Measurements: The ring size is approximately 9.5. The face is just over 3/4" wide by just under 3/4" tall.

Origin: c. 100-300 AD. 

Notes: This ring cannot be sized.