A GREEK CARNELIAN SCARAB WITH A SERPENT & HEN, ARCHAIC PERIOD, CIRCA EARLY 5TH CENTURY B.C

拍品描述

A GREEK CARNELIAN SCARAB WITH A SERPENT & HEN, ARCHAIC PERIOD, CIRCA EARLY 5TH CENTURY B.C Finely carved from translucent orange-red carnelian, this scaraboid gem is engraved on its flat face with a coiled serpent confronting a striding hen, both rendered in delicate intaglio with precise linear detail. The highly polished convex back is smooth and lustrous, showing faint tool marks from shaping. The stone exhibits subtle internal banding and natural inclusions, typical of carnelian, giving depth and warmth to its surface. Such engraved gems were used as personal seals in Archaic Greece, pressed into wax or clay to authenticate documents and possessions. The combination of animal motifs often held apotropaic or symbolic significance, invoking protection or fertility within daily and ritual contexts. Length: 2.6cm

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