Silver ring
Intaglio: 17 x 14 mm; h. visible: 3 mm, thickness of the kitten (setting and stone): 6 mm.
Ring: diam. int. of the ring: 19 x 21 mm; shoulder width: 17 mm; min. width 4 mm.
Weight: 14.18 g.
St. Boil, No. 80-6.
Solid silver ring, decorated with an intaglio in agate with four horizontal layers, flat-faced and slice wide flattened bevel, set with a thin gold thread welded to the ring. The stone is engraved with a figure of naked Mercury, standing on a line of ground, turned to the right, the mantle on the left shoulder. He holds in his left hand a purse, whose shape in crow's feet is clearly legible, and on the right the caduceus. A rooster on the right is at his feet.
The intaglio is of good quality, as evidenced by some carefully noted details of the musculature and the hip movement of the body, reminiscent of the Polykleitos model. However, the movement of the chlamys is illogical and the hands poorly drawn.
The motive of the Mercury with the cock appears at the end of the Hellenistic period, but remains rather rare on the currencies and the gems whereas it is very current in the small statuary of bronze.
The work belongs to the "classical patterned current." The shape of the ring, with a strongly enlarged ring on the shoulders, it was long in fashion since it is found, especially in the north and in the east from Gaul and along the Rhine limes throughout the 2nd century centuries up to the mid-3rd century AD.
Dating: 3rd century AD
Quantity
1
Weight
14.18 g
Width
1 cm
Diameter
2 cm
Material
Silver
Hoard
References:
Reference
This object
Yes
