Hollow scarab in swivel ring
mid-4th century B.C.
The head of a goddess decorates the flat surface of this hollow gold scarab set in a silver swivel ring. Carved in relief rather than engraved as on a stone scarab, the goddess wears a *stephane* or crown decorated with three palmettes and a necklace with pendants. She represents Hera Lakinia, a local version of Hera, whose sanctuary was near the city of Kroton in South Italy. Coins of Kroton from the 300s B.C. show similar images of Hera Lakinia, supporting this identification. The beetle side of the scarab is very summarily carved.
Although once very popular, scarabs carved from semi-precious stones with an intaglio on the flat surface had gone out of style in the 400s B.C. Gold scarabs with relief decoration were a creation of the Greek cities in South Italy in the 300s B.C. Several examples have survived, most from Tarentum, a city with thriving gold-working studios.
Although once very popular, scarabs carved from semi-precious stones with an intaglio on the flat surface had gone out of style in the 400s B.C. Gold scarabs with relief decoration were a creation of the Greek cities in South Italy in the 300s B.C. Several examples have survived, most from Tarentum, a city with thriving gold-working studios.
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)