Ancient Rome, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A handmade and expertly hammered over 20 carat gold ring with a rectangular natural cabochon sapphire of brilliant blue hues. The shank is nicely detailed with a wavy snake scale motif. The exterior of the shank is also engraved with letters: R, V, N, and O to one side of the stone and M, O, N, V, and O on the opposite side of the stone. A breathtaking example of ancient Roman jewelry. Size 7.25. Weight 2.1 g.

The women of the Roman Empire treasured their jewelry. We know this to be true, because elite Roman women were laid to rest in sarcophagi painted with encaustic funerary portraits that depicted the deceased as bejeweled youthful beauties. In addition, the sculpted stone portraits of the caravan city of Palmyra in Syria show the deceased donning jewelry, no doubt indicating their wealth and high social status for all eternity.

Since the Roman Empire was so vast with an extensive trade network along the Silk Road, the Romans had access to a wide variety of precious gemstones garnered from across Europe and the Mediterranean. But most of all, gold was prized. The Romans mined gold extensively throughout their empire, advancing the science of gold mining extensively, even diverting streams to mine hydraulically. They mined underground, and developed water wheels and techniques such as "roasting" gold-bearing ores to separate gold from rock. Gold captured the ancients' imagination. After all, it was the color of sunlight and prized for its natural beauty, luster, and malleability.



Provenance: Ex-private United Kingdom collection.

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#112561

Near choice. Nearly invisible nick to stone.