IMG_7100
Late Roman Jewelry
Gold and nicolo ring
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Gift of John Taylor Johnston, 1881
The bezel contains a nicolo gem (Nicolo is a cameo or intaglio that is carved in onyx in such a way that the image displays a translucent bluish/grey color. This thin top layer of design lays atop a thicker layer of black material that shows through, imbuing the design with the characteristic tint of blue.) carved in the cameo technique and inscribed in Greek: Good luck, Eusebius. Such expressions, including the names of private individuals, are often found on Late Roman rings, indicating that they were probably meant as lucky charms. This ring clearly belonged to a child.
Gold and beryl ring
Roman, late 2nd-3rd century A.D.
Purchased by subscription, 1895
Pair of gold earrings with garnet pendants
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Purchase, 1897
The openwork disks and multiple pendants are typical features of later Roman jewelry. The central rosettes and lower ends of the pendants were once probably strung with pearls. Between these two elements are addorsed (set, or turned back to back as in heraldry) dolphins, another very popular motif in this period.
Gold necklace with coin pendants
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Two openwork pendants are suspended from a double chain of figure-of-eight loops. Each pendant is set with an aureua (gold coin) of the Emperor Alexander Severus (r. A.D. 222-235). Their different sizes and the second spacer suggest that additional pendants are now missing from the chain. The use of coins in jewelry became very fashionable in the third century and persisted until the early seventh century.
Gold ring with carnelian intaglio
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Bequest of Rupert L. Joseph, 1960
The massive cast hoop of the ring is typical of late Roman jewelry. The intaglio is inscribed with the Latin names "Derisor" and "Leukadia", and the scene may represent a trainer with a bear. Performing bears were a common sight in the Balkans and Anatolia until recent times.
Gold triple finger ring
Roman, Syrian, 3rd-4th century A.D.
Purchase, Deanna Anderson Gift and funds from various donors, 2002
This ring exemplifies a flamboyant type of costume jewelry especially popular in the eastern half of the Roman Empire. The three finger bands support five colorful settings, containing pearls, glass imitation gems, and a central green bead (a modern replacement).
Gold solidus of Postumus set in an ancient mount
POSTVMVS PIVS FELIX AVG, busts of the emperor and Hercules/HERCVLI NEMAEO, Hercules wrestling the Nemean lion
Cologne, A.D. 266
IMG_7100
Late Roman Jewelry
Gold and nicolo ring
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Gift of John Taylor Johnston, 1881
The bezel contains a nicolo gem (Nicolo is a cameo or intaglio that is carved in onyx in such a way that the image displays a translucent bluish/grey color. This thin top layer of design lays atop a thicker layer of black material that shows through, imbuing the design with the characteristic tint of blue.) carved in the cameo technique and inscribed in Greek: Good luck, Eusebius. Such expressions, including the names of private individuals, are often found on Late Roman rings, indicating that they were probably meant as lucky charms. This ring clearly belonged to a child.
Gold and beryl ring
Roman, late 2nd-3rd century A.D.
Purchased by subscription, 1895
Pair of gold earrings with garnet pendants
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Purchase, 1897
The openwork disks and multiple pendants are typical features of later Roman jewelry. The central rosettes and lower ends of the pendants were once probably strung with pearls. Between these two elements are addorsed (set, or turned back to back as in heraldry) dolphins, another very popular motif in this period.
Gold necklace with coin pendants
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Two openwork pendants are suspended from a double chain of figure-of-eight loops. Each pendant is set with an aureua (gold coin) of the Emperor Alexander Severus (r. A.D. 222-235). Their different sizes and the second spacer suggest that additional pendants are now missing from the chain. The use of coins in jewelry became very fashionable in the third century and persisted until the early seventh century.
Gold ring with carnelian intaglio
Roman, 3rd century A.D.
Bequest of Rupert L. Joseph, 1960
The massive cast hoop of the ring is typical of late Roman jewelry. The intaglio is inscribed with the Latin names "Derisor" and "Leukadia", and the scene may represent a trainer with a bear. Performing bears were a common sight in the Balkans and Anatolia until recent times.
Gold triple finger ring
Roman, Syrian, 3rd-4th century A.D.
Purchase, Deanna Anderson Gift and funds from various donors, 2002
This ring exemplifies a flamboyant type of costume jewelry especially popular in the eastern half of the Roman Empire. The three finger bands support five colorful settings, containing pearls, glass imitation gems, and a central green bead (a modern replacement).
Gold solidus of Postumus set in an ancient mount
POSTVMVS PIVS FELIX AVG, busts of the emperor and Hercules/HERCVLI NEMAEO, Hercules wrestling the Nemean lion
Cologne, A.D. 266