Lot 34B
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A powerful expression of imperial authority and divine favor, this Roman silver ring features a finely carved carnelian intaglio depicting an eagle - the quintessential emblem of Roman might - perched solemnly upon an altar. With wings tucked tightly against its body, the eagle exudes quiet control and resolve, clutching a laurel wreath in its beak and a palm frond in its talon - symbols of victory, eternal glory, and triumph over death. The stone's warm reddish-orange hue glows against the cool, matte silver of the thick hoop, its oval bezel firmly securing the gem. The scene is crisply cut: the eagle's feathers rendered with delicate incisions, its posture rigid and ceremonial. The altar beneath grounds the composition, hinting at a sacrificial or votive context, and evoking the profound spiritual and political weight such imagery held in Roman visual culture. Size of intaglio: 0.4" W x 0.5" H (1 cm x 1.3 cm); of ring: 1" Diameter (2.5 cm); US ring size: 6.25; silver quality: 96%; weight: 11 grams
This type of intaglio - pairing Jupiter's sacred bird with ritual objects - was especially popular among Roman military and political elites, functioning both as a personal seal and a symbolic testament to loyalty, divine protection, and imperial ideology. The wreath and palm together speak not only to military success but to the promise of remembrance and immortality. Worn on the hand, pressed into wax, or passed down through generations, a ring such as this was more than adornment. It was a badge of belief - a miniature monument to the grandeur and permanence of Rome.
Provenance: ex-T.F. Holy Lands collection, formed since the 1960s; ex-private UK collection; ex-Vienna, Austria collection, before 2000
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#195371
- Condition: Some light wear to silver commensurate with age as shown, but, otherwise, intact, excellent, and wearable with impressively preserved detail.
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