Caligula and his Sisters, Julia, Drusilla, Agrippina. Sard. This is one of the most singular historic intagli in existence, and its genuineness beyond suspicion.. Antoninus Pius: Cameo. Emerald. The stone is a true Emerald, though of bad quality; doubtless from the Egyptian mine .. Agate of Philosopher meditating upon the Immortality of the Soul: Greek. Sailor of Ulysses opening the Bag of Winds given to him by Eolus to ensure a Apotheosis of Augustus, who is borne up to heaven by Mithras. The "Cameo PAGE 164 164 165 .. .. .. 165 .. 176 181 185 .. 200 200 201 Greek Cameo found in Cabul. Sardonyx (p. 199) (Rhodes). Gryllus, signet of Titinius. Obsidian. The "motive" of this composition Inscribed Etruscan gem. The name is that of the hero, but written in the cus- Di-drachm of Caulonia, showing the guilloche Etruscan border.. Macenas, by Apollonius. Jacinth. This portrait is perhaps superior even to Faun with Urn: finest Greek style. Sard (Rhodes). Cupid rescuing Psyche; by Pamphilus. Sard (British Museum). Hermes making Lyres (Foreign Collection). Roma holding forth a torques, the usual reward of military valour: a Victory presents an olive-branch; at her side is a singular vizored helmet on a stand. Spotted Sard... Hercules and the Stymphalian Birds (Foreign Collection). 5 The description of the hydraulis, invented by Ctesibius of Alexandria, as given by Athenæus (iv. 75), exactly applies to this intaglio. "The hydraulic organ seems to be somewhat after the nature of a water-clock. Perhaps it ought to be termed a wind-instrument, inasmuch as the organ is filled with breath by 228 230 238 242 245 246 255 260 means of water; for the pipes are bent down into water, and the water being 'pounded' by an attendant, whilst tubes pass through the body of the organ itself, the pipes are filled with wind and give forth an agreeable sound. The organ resembles in form a round altar." Juno; by John Pichler. Sard (Rhodes). .. Ship under sail-emblem of mortal life (Foreign Collection). Cupid chained by Psyche to a column. Girasol. The signet of M. Mausius .. Narcissus and Echo: Roman. Prase. Cupid, emerging from the fountain, is Signet and Monogram of Paulus. Sard. Serapis: Roman work: Cameo. .. This Onyx has running through its white layer-in which the bust is cut-the large perforation of the original Indian bead... PAGE 269 276 284 284 289 294 301 Triple Mask: Roman. Jacinth (now in Lord Braybrooke's Collection). 301 302 311 Diocletian and Maximian as Janus. Green Jasper. 315 Antique gem with forged name of artist (Mycon), an addition of the last century: Mithridates; a contemporary portrait. Yellow Sard of a very singular quality, nearly opaque (Author's Collection). Stymphalian Bird: Roman. Burnt Sard (Author's Collection). Bunch of Grapes: Roman. Red Jasper (Author's Collection)....... Sol within the Zodiac (Foreign Collection). Augustus with his Horoscope Capricorn (Foreign Collection). Hipparchus the Astronomer: Roman. Lapis-lazuli. The gold spots of the .. Green Jasper (Author's Collection). Mithraic Talisman of Nicandra. Green Jasper. A gryphon supporting a wheel -a common attribute of Sol-stands upon a column, to which a figure is fastened with hands bound behind the back. The legend on the reverse invokes his protection for Nicandra and Caleandra; apparently Alexandrian ladies, judging from the orthography of the name Neicandra, instead of Nicandra. 337 338 340 Anubis, surrounded by the seven vowels (p. 345), standing on a serpent. Green Jasper. The stone is broken at each extremity, but the head is evidently that of a jackal, not a hawk's as it appears in the cut. The work of the intaglio is extraordinarily fine, rendering this gem quite unique in its class. 342 Abraxas. Green Jasper. Also of unusually good and finished work, and belonging to the very dawn of Gnosticism; certainly not later than Hadrian's reign. .. Chneph: Alexandrian. Sard. The legend, if written in the usual letter, is Martyrdom of a female Saint. Red Jasper. This was probably executed about 342 344 352 the ibis, jackal, and hawk, attributes of Isis, Anubis, and Phre or Sol, whose triple godhead he symbolizes. The legend on the reverse ends with the word Zovμapra, a title constantly occurring in these invocations, but as yet unexplained. .... Mithraic Symbol. The two Principles, altar with the sacred wafers, lustral water, raven, &c.; above are seen the busts of Sol and Luna. Plasma. The work of the rudest description. PAGE 358 359 Hermes Heptachrysos: Roman. Sard. 363 Isiac Vase. Red Jasper. This is an extremely elegant composition. Asps The (afterwards) 366 374 376 Oculist's Stamp. Sard (British Museum). .... Jupiter, Sol, Luna. Opal (p. 66). .. Death of Eschylus. An eagle drops a tortoise upon his bald pate, mistaking it How all thy wisdom lies in looking grave; Like as the snail [protrudes his eye-tipped horns]." Psyche mourning the flight of Cupid (Foreign Collection). 378 378 380 380 383 384 388 389 418 433 Phenician Sphinx. Spotted Onyx. The object in the background is probably a mummy-formed divinity (Rhodes)." .. .. .. Silenus placing a crater on its stand ayyoŋên, or incitega): Roman. Sard .... Somnus, on his rounds, holding a wreathed horn in each hand, and from one pouring out his balm upon the earth. The god here is depicted with butterfly-wings like Psyche, of which I have seen no other example, since his figure upon monuments can only be distinguished from Cupid's by the diversity of their attributes. Lessing has admirably treated this subject in his dissertation, "Wie die Alten den Tod gebildet." The work of this intaglio belongs to the best period of Roman art, and is cut on a Sard of the finest quality Death, within an opened monument; beneath is the pig, the funeral sacrifice: "Et Nox, et cornu fugiebat Somnus inani."-Theb. vi. 27. Dagon: Phenician scarab. Green Jasper; or perhaps a green terra-cotta. .. 6 Described by Raspe as " a Persian Sphinx, .. PAGE 438 442 448 454 466 470 471 476 488 489 498 the bas-reliefs of Chelminar; with a figure be or Mithras, the image of the Sun, as seen upon hind, like Horus, swathed." Combat between Lion and Bull: Etruscan. Sard. ANCIENT GEMS. SECTION I.-MATERIALS. Livia. Red Jasper. SOURCES WHENCE GEMS WERE OBTAINED BY THE ANCIENTS. BEFORE we enter upon the consideration of the intagli and camei themselves, and of the various styles of art which they present, it will be more appropriate to give a brief description of the different sorts of gems upon which they usually are found, to point out their respective characters, and at the same time to identify, as far as can be done, the species of stones principally employed by the ancients for these works; and to distinguish them from those only known to modern engravers, or at least more generally used by the latter than by the artists of antiquity. The sources whence they were obtained will be separately noticed under each head, but a most suitable introduction to this section will be the elegant description given by Dionysius Periegetes of the trade in precious stones carried on by the Orientals early in our era; for, although the date of his poem is disputed, yet his allu B |