Ancient Rome, ca. 2nd to 4th century CE. A high karat (20K) gold intaglio ring featuring an oval two-tone (black and white) sardonyx stone carved with an abstract depiction of an eagle, set in a solid 20 karat gold shank, the band with a slightly concave contour. In addition to being an impressive work of wearable art, this ring presents meaningful iconography, for in ancient Rome at the funerals of elite emperors, a golden eagle was set free to carry the deceased emperor's soul to the Gods, just as a falcon was at the funerals of Egyptian pharoahs. This supports the idea that in the ancient world, raptors served as intermediaries between earthly mortals and the divine in their celestial realm. Ring Size 8. Intaglio Size: .25" L x .19" W (0.6 cm x 0.5 cm) Total weight 8.4 grams.

Provenance: Ex-Private Florida collection

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#118830

Minor wear and scratches to the shank. A few scratches to intaglio.