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| Cylinder Seal Necklace (about 500-400 BC) Monteiasi, Amoroso district Gold, chalcedony, incised Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Taranto, inv. 12023 [Cat. no. 13] |
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Cylinder Seal Necklace (about 500-400 BC)
The art of the expert gem carver was found on cylinder seals from Magna Graecia. Although this pairing of a blue chalcedony cylinder seal on a gold chain appears to be a necklace, its function may not have been simply to adorn the neck of its owner.Although beautiful, cylinder seals had an important function. Rolled over wet clay, they would leave an impression identifying the owner of whatever held the seal.
This seal creates a motif that is one of the most widespread and one with the greatest longevity in Greek art. Indeed the image of fighting animals--in this case, lions attacking deer--can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia. The gem carver has rendered a tiny and delicately detailed version of this motif as two lions, manes bristling, attack two kneeling defenseless deer. The artistry is impressive on such a small canvas.
Page 3 of 23 | On the next page: Boat-Shaped Earrings (about 350-325 BC)