A Fine Greek Finger Ring Set with a Garnet Intaglio of a Lion
A Fine Greek Finger Ring Set with a Garnet Intaglio of a Lion
Gold, garnet
Greece Hellenistic
Hellenistic period / 2nd Century BC - 1st Century AD
Size: 63 (EU) V (UK) 10 5/8 (US)
Weight: 17.3 grams
Provenance: Acquired from an important collection of antiquities, including ancient rings,
2021
Ex St. James Ancient Art, London
Ex Canadian collection
Ex Private collection
Gold, garnet
Greece Hellenistic
Hellenistic period / 2nd Century BC - 1st Century AD
Size: 63 (EU) V (UK) 10 5/8 (US)
Weight: 17.3 grams
Provenance: Acquired from an important collection of antiquities, including ancient rings,
2021
Ex St. James Ancient Art, London
Ex Canadian collection
Ex Private collection
A Fine Greek Finger Ring Set with a Garnet Intaglio of a Lion
Gold, garnet
Greece Hellenistic
Hellenistic period / 2nd Century BC - 1st Century AD
Size: 63 (EU) V (UK) 10 5/8 (US)
Weight: 17.3 grams
Gold, garnet
Greece Hellenistic
Hellenistic period / 2nd Century BC - 1st Century AD
Size: 63 (EU) V (UK) 10 5/8 (US)
Weight: 17.3 grams
A Hellenistic gold finger-ring set featuring an oval garnet intaglio intricately engraved with the image of a standing and left-facing lion. This vivid depiction conveys a profound sense of power and vitality, qualities for which the lion held significant prominence in Greek art and royal iconography. Symbolising strength, authority, and divine protection, the lion’s image was a recurring motif.
The garnet is securely set within a double-oval bezel, which is seamlessly integrated into a substantial, rounded hoop. The distinctive construction is characteristic of the work of late Hellenistic goldsmiths, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean region, where intaglio engraving flourished as both an ornamental element and a personal signature. Rings of this type were worn by individuals of high social standing, harmoniously combining technical expertise with symbolic potency.
The garnet is securely set within a double-oval bezel, which is seamlessly integrated into a substantial, rounded hoop. The distinctive construction is characteristic of the work of late Hellenistic goldsmiths, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean region, where intaglio engraving flourished as both an ornamental element and a personal signature. Rings of this type were worn by individuals of high social standing, harmoniously combining technical expertise with symbolic potency.
Acquired from an important collection of antiquities, including ancient rings,
2021
Ex St. James Ancient Art, London
Ex Canadian collection
Ex Private collection
2021
Ex St. James Ancient Art, London
Ex Canadian collection
Ex Private collection
A Fine Greek Finger Ring Set with a Garnet Intaglio of a Lion
