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Lot Essay
The plain gold hoop is flat on the interior, slightly rounded on the exterior, expanding towards the flat oval bezel. Engraved on the bezel is a silhouette head of a bearded Silenos, into which is inserted a carnelian intaglio of conforming shape, the details well delineated.
Rings with inlaid silhouette intaglios are comparatively rare, and could perhaps be the product of a single workshop, based on style, despite the wide distribution of find-spots, when known. The inlays are usually either carnelian, chalcedony, banded agate or garnet. For another with a nearly identical Silenos head, see no. 421 in F. Marshall, Catalogue of the Finger Rings, Greek, Etruscan & Roman, in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum. Other examples include one with a wreathed female head, said to be from Smyrna, no. 422 in Marshall, op. cit.; and one with Hygeia, the ring missing its hoop, from Pompeii, no. 96 in R. Siviero, Gli Ori e le Ambre del Museo Nazionale di Napoli.
Rings with inlaid silhouette intaglios are comparatively rare, and could perhaps be the product of a single workshop, based on style, despite the wide distribution of find-spots, when known. The inlays are usually either carnelian, chalcedony, banded agate or garnet. For another with a nearly identical Silenos head, see no. 421 in F. Marshall, Catalogue of the Finger Rings, Greek, Etruscan & Roman, in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum. Other examples include one with a wreathed female head, said to be from Smyrna, no. 422 in Marshall, op. cit.; and one with Hygeia, the ring missing its hoop, from Pompeii, no. 96 in R. Siviero, Gli Ori e le Ambre del Museo Nazionale di Napoli.