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Roman

Intaglio inscribed "Dioskourides", ca. 30-20 BCE

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Roman

Title

Intaglio inscribed "Dioskourides"

Year

ca. 30-20 BCE

Medium

Rock crystal

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • Quartz crystal

Dimensions

Length: 1.9 cm (3/4 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Signed by Dioskourides.

Place

Kertsch

Type

  • Jewelry

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

25.094

Projects & Publications

Publications

Classical Jewelry

Ancient Jewelry from the Museum's Collection

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Ancient Greek and Roman Galleries

In Greek and Roman society, carved gemstones called intaglios functioned as personal signatures. The stones could be pressed into a small bit of clay or wax to form a reverse impression; the result would be affixed to documents to indicate the owner’s involvement with the associated material. A broad range of icons were chosen as personal marks. In later periods, intaglio carvings became valued for their aesthetic beauty and material value, and many Emperors formed large collections of the gems. Collecting intaglios remained popular throughout much of European history. Our “Dioskourides” intaglio, once attributed to a famous gem carver of classical Rome, is now thought to be a product of early modern Europe.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Intaglio inscribed "Dioskourides" with the accession number of 25.094. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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