Ancient Roman Parrot Intaglio Ring
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A superb, rare Roman gold ring dating to the 1st–2nd century AD, set with a beautiful ‘plasma’ intaglio. The gemstone, a chromium-rich chalcedony, displays the mottled deep viridian green characteristic of the ancient gem, commonly known as ‘plasma’, a material highly prized across the Roman world but no longer seen after the known deposits were exhausted toward the end of the 2nd century AD. Its survival here, still with excellent translucency and polish, is remarkable.The stone is carved with the figure of a parrot, rendered with crisp detail: curved beak, forward stance, and lightly incised plumage. Parrots were considered exotic luxuries in Rome; imported from India and the East through long-distance trade routes. They were kept as elite pets, renowned for their ability to mimic speech, and sources from Pliny to Martial note their fame for greeting guests with ave or even ave Caesar. Such motifs signalled both refinement and access to global luxury networks; their appearance on gems is therefore closely linked to status, learning, and cosmopolitan taste.The ring itself is fashioned from high karat gold, c.21–22K, retaining a rich and untarnished lustre thanks to its purity. The form is a smooth, tapering D-shaped band, flowing seamlessly into the oval collet. It is a design entirely characteristic of early Imperial jewellery - quiet, elegant, and astonishingly modern in its silhouette, a shape still echoed in contemporary signet rings today.UK size P½ (US 8), with a pleasing weight of 5.31g.The plasma intaglio measures 8 × 6mm and sits perfectly flush within its mount.Condition is exceptionally good for its age; the gold retains its ancient surface texture and the intaglio itself is beautifully preserved.The parrot was a rare subject in ancient Greece but by Roman times it became a popular character in decorative art due to the bird's adoption as a curious and endearing domestic pet. Aristotle mentions it in ‘Historia anamalium’ and Pliny talks of the bird becoming “especially frolicsome under the influence of wine” in his ‘Naturalis historia’. In each description the bird in question is an Indian ring-necked parakeet, and the engraving of this gem is also in line with this particular species of bright green bird with a distinctive red ring around its neck and long tail plumage. Examples of this bird can also clearly be seen in Fresco paintings such as the parrot pulling a chariot driven by a cricket found in Pompei and in a micro mosaic plaques such as that of birds drinking in a bird bath above a cat found originally found in Capua Vetere Santa Maria in the Province of Caserta, now on display in the National Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli) in Naples, Campania, Italy. An early depiction in micro mosaic found on the floor of the Pergamon Altar now housed in the Insel museum in Berlin.For similar examples see no. 619 in Maaskant-Kleibrink, Catalogue of the Engraved Gems in the Royal Coin Cabinet and no. 533 in E. Zwierlein-Diehl, Die Antiken Gemmen des Kunsthistorischen Museum in Wien, which includes a list of others with the same subject. The present example, one of the finest to survive from antiquity, has been well known to ancient gem enthusiasts since its first publication in 1686 when it was part of the Boncompagni collection.A closely comparable Roman parrot intaglio ring, also in green chalcedony, was sold at Christie’s for a significant sum, underscoring how rare and desirable this subject is within the corpus of ancient engraved gems.A museum-worthy piece - rare, refined, and carrying with it the long arc of Roman trade, luxury culture, and craftsmanship.
A superb, rare Roman gold ring dating to the 1st–2nd century AD, set with a beautiful ‘plasma’ intaglio. The gemstone, a chromium-rich chalcedony, displays the mottled deep viridian green characteristic of the ancient gem, commonly known as ‘plasma’, a material highly prized across the Roman world but no longer seen after the known deposits were exhausted toward the end of the 2nd century AD. Its survival here, still with excellent translucency and polish, is remarkable.
The stone is carved with the figure of a parrot, rendered with crisp detail: curved beak, forward stance, and lightly incised plumage. Parrots were considered exotic luxuries in Rome; imported from India and the East through long-distance trade routes. They were kept as elite pets, renowned for their ability to mimic speech, and sources from Pliny to Martial note their fame for greeting guests with ave or even ave Caesar. Such motifs signalled both refinement and access to global luxury networks; their appearance on gems is therefore closely linked to status, learning, and cosmopolitan taste.
The ring itself is fashioned from high karat gold, c.21–22K, retaining a rich and untarnished lustre thanks to its purity. The form is a smooth, tapering D-shaped band, flowing seamlessly into the oval collet. It is a design entirely characteristic of early Imperial jewellery - quiet, elegant, and astonishingly modern in its silhouette, a shape still echoed in contemporary signet rings today.
UK size P½ (US 8), with a pleasing weight of 5.31g.
The plasma intaglio measures 8 × 6mm and sits perfectly flush within its mount.
Condition is exceptionally good for its age; the gold retains its ancient surface texture and the intaglio itself is beautifully preserved.
The parrot was a rare subject in ancient Greece but by Roman times it became a popular character in decorative art due to the bird's adoption as a curious and endearing domestic pet. Aristotle mentions it in ‘Historia anamalium’ and Pliny talks of the bird becoming “especially frolicsome under the influence of wine” in his ‘Naturalis historia’. In each description the bird in question is an Indian ring-necked parakeet, and the engraving of this gem is also in line with this particular species of bright green bird with a distinctive red ring around its neck and long tail plumage. Examples of this bird can also clearly be seen in Fresco paintings such as the parrot pulling a chariot driven by a cricket found in Pompei and in a micro mosaic plaques such as that of birds drinking in a bird bath above a cat found originally found in Capua Vetere Santa Maria in the Province of Caserta, now on display in the National Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli) in Naples, Campania, Italy. An early depiction in micro mosaic found on the floor of the Pergamon Altar now housed in the Insel museum in Berlin.
For similar examples see no. 619 in Maaskant-Kleibrink, Catalogue of the Engraved Gems in the Royal Coin Cabinet and no. 533 in E. Zwierlein-Diehl, Die Antiken Gemmen des Kunsthistorischen Museum in Wien, which includes a list of others with the same subject. The present example, one of the finest to survive from antiquity, has been well known to ancient gem enthusiasts since its first publication in 1686 when it was part of the Boncompagni collection.
A closely comparable Roman parrot intaglio ring, also in green chalcedony, was sold at Christie’s for a significant sum, underscoring how rare and desirable this subject is within the corpus of ancient engraved gems.
A museum-worthy piece - rare, refined, and carrying with it the long arc of Roman trade, luxury culture, and craftsmanship.
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