Hematite intaglio: Standing deity
Unknown Artist
Medium
Hematite
Dimensions
Other: 1/2 x 3/8 x 1/8 in. (1.3 x 1 x 0.2 cm)
Classification
Gems
Culture & Period
Roman · Imperial
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase by subscription, 1895
Accession Number
95.15.56
Art Historical Context
This exquisite hematite intaglio, depicting a standing deity, is a tiny marvel from the Roman Imperial periodca. 27 BCE–476 CE). Carved in intaglio technique—where the image is incised into the stone's surface rather than raised like a cameo—this gem measures just 1/2 x 3/8 x 1/8 inches, small enough to wear as a ring or pendant. Hematite, an iron ore for its metallic sheen and durability, was a popular choice for such personal artifacts, allowing fine details to emerge when the seal was pressed into wax. In Roman culture, intaglios like this served practical and symbolic purposes: as seals f...