Or how I lost sometime today. Here’s the digitization.
Here are the images that caught my eye for various reasons. The first is the specimen now in Berlin that sparked my interest for its mention in Dardenay 2008.
And from this old catalogue I learned it had a friend and both were purchased in Rome. COMVNIS is a pretty common inscription because it seems to have been the name of potter(y). The stamp usage is tracked by The Roman Economy Project on fineware, but the name turns up lots of examples on vessels, especially lamps, in Clauss Slaby Database. (Scholarship on the possible connection.) The gem may just be testimony to another use of the same name. It clearly derives from the coin (RRC 235/1). With the tree rendering, but also connects with intaglios of the last post. Below the V.F.S. would usually stand for vivus fecit sibi. “He made for himself while living” common on funerary monuments, but unless this was made as a tomb offering that’s nonsensical as a resolution. Vibi filius Spurius, Spurius, son of Vibius would also work.
Notice the head is rendered differently one wears a turreted crown and the other a helmet. I am inclined to see both as personifications of Roma.
That head in the field needs more thinking about especially in relationship to the Medici sard recorded in Gori with three heads and other symbols.
These remainder caught my eye for one reason or another. C16 contextualizes well RRC 287/1, for which by the by, I found a glass paste precedent in Berlin.
E39 is just a nice typical shepherd with wolf and twins. E35 Below is a type much discussed by Alfoldi 1950 in relationship to RRC 398/1. He interprets the scene as one of Rhea Silva.
And here we have yet another instance of the Crepereii’s Goddess
For good measure we should always have some elephant scalp personifications of Africa, though I’m not sure I’ve seen it in cameo before…
And this sow and shrine reminded me for all the world of the Ara Pacis relief:
Finally I wanted to think about gems with this type of design as they relate to RRC 401/1, there are better parallels for the type which I’ve discussed earlier, but nonetheless good to think with.
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Liv Mariah Yarrow 