•antiques in ruby or carbuncle ; but King mentions a few examples which date from a late period of the Roman Empire. The
Devonshire parure comprises a Venus on this gem.
Sapphire. — The hyacinthus of the ancients was a favorite
with them, and was frequently used as an ornament without
cutting ; but it was sometimes engraved. The most celebrated
of this kind known was the signet of the Emperor Constantius
II., of the fourth century, weighing fifty-three carats, now in
the Rinuccini collection. The Marlborough contains two of
these gems, one being of a deep violet color, engraved with the
head of Caracalla, and the other a sky-blue, carved with the
head of Medusa. The gem, hitherto supposed to be sapphire,
engraved with Berenice, is believed to be iolite.
Emerald.—True emeralds with genuine antique engravings are said to be exceedingly rare ; hardly an example can be
found earlier than the second century. Mr. Westropp considers
an Egyptian emerald in his collection the only genuine antique engraved gem of the kind ; but Mr. King names several
of this class : the portrait of Hadrian, the head of Sabina, a
Gorgon's head in the Devonshire parure, the Solar Lion in the
Fould collection, and the head of Jupiter in that of the Duc de
Luynes.
Beryl.—This gem was not often engraved by early artists,
though there is a Hercules of Roman date in the Blacas collection, a Julia on a large size aquamarine in Paris, and a Taras on
a dolphin, an Etruscan work. The spinel affords the head
of a Gorgon ; and the balas one of a Bacchante, considered a
masterpiece of the best days of Roman art.
Garnet. — The Greeks seldom employed this precious stone
for engraving, though it was frequently used for this purpose
by the Romans, and later by the Persians for the portraits of
the Sassanian kings. Many fine engravings are found on
