Carnelian ring stone
Unknown Artist
3rd–2nd century BCE
Medium
Carnelian
Dimensions
Length: 9/16 in. (1.4 cm)
Classification
Gems
Culture & Period
Italic · Hellenistic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of John Taylor Johnston, 1881
Accession Number
81.6.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite carnelian ring stone dating to the 3rd–2nd BCE, hails from Italic culture during the Hellenistic period—a time when Greek artistic influences blended with local Italian traditions. Carved from vibrant red carnelian, a durable semi-precious stone prized for its rich color and ability to hold fine engravings, this tiny gem measures just 9/16 inch (1.4 cm) long. Likely an intaglio designed to be set in a ring, it exemplifies the ancient craft of gem engraving, where artisans meticulously incised designs into hard stone for seals, jewelry, or talismans. The engraving depicts warrio...