Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A wonderful agate intaglio of a striding lion set in a modern gold ring to be wearable. Boasting a translucent hue of light peach with natural red striations, the carved gemstone displays the ferocious feline lying in profile with its head towards the viewer and its sinuous tail curving above. The ring itself features a raised bezel with a trifurcated band that expands to an openwork shoulder. Size of ring: 1" L x 0.9" W (2.5 cm x 2.3 cm); of intaglio: 0.5" L x 0.4" W (1.3 cm x 1 cm); US ring size: 9.5; gold quality: 66.36% (equivalent to over 15 karats); weight: 3.2 grams

In the classical world, lions symbolized power, wealth, and might. They were famously featured in many ancient myths, perhaps the most famous being that of Hercules (Greek Herakles) slaying the Nemean lion for his first labor. That lion's fur was believed to be impenetrable to attacks since according to legend it was made of gold and its claws were far sharper than swords with the power to slice through armor. In the end, Hercules defeated the lion by strangling it and wore its skin. Lions were also favorite iconography for buildings, coins, and statues in the ancient world. Examples include the Lion Gate to the Citadel of Mycenae, the Terrace of the Lions on the island of Delos, and the lion hunt mosaic from Pella featuring Alexander engaged in a lion hunt.

Provenance: private Danvers, Massachusetts, USA collection, acquired by descent; ex-USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#179194

Intact, excellent, and wearable with nice preservation of incised imagery. Accompanied by custom modern ring box.