Engraved Scaraboid
perhaps 3rd century A.D.
Lion walking right; there is a star above; groundline. There is a chip from the bottom.
There is no drill hole in the gem. The shape of the stone is typically fourth-third century B.C., but the motif and style of engraving strongly suggest a third-century-A.D. date; there is a close similarity to magic gems. The stone may be an older, reused Greek scaraboid.
There is no drill hole in the gem. The shape of the stone is typically fourth-third century B.C., but the motif and style of engraving strongly suggest a third-century-A.D. date; there is a close similarity to magic gems. The stone may be an older, reused Greek scaraboid.
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)