Quantcast
  We apologize for any slow response. This will be fixed before October 31st Portal logo
Login/Register
Bactrian Gold Treasure from Afghanistan, coming soon....
/gemstones/king-natural-history/page_208 - 2
 

Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum

Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum Page of 453 Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
HYACINTHUS.                                    199
gold wire, the exact ornament referred to by the poet Nau-machius.
Previous to the Imperial epoch, engravings in Sapphire are of the rarest possible occurrence. A small Etruscan scarab, how­ever, on an inferior variety has recently come under my notice, and also a magnificent head of Jupiter inscribed ΠΥ, exe­cuted in the purest Greek style. This latter had been dis­covered as ornamenting the pommel of a Turkish dagger, the intaglio turned downwards, and the back of the stone rudely facetted by the Oriental lapidary into whose hands this precious monument had fallen, an additional proof of its genuine anti­quity. This stone was one inch in diameter. Even superior to this as a work of art, and belonging to the same school, is the Medusa's Head in nearly full face, one of the chief glories of the Marlborough Collection, of the most exquisitely finished exe­cution combined with the utmost vigour, and which would render valuable even an ordinary material, but greatly enhanced here by the fine quality of the Sapphire, caîrulean and clear· Another of much larger size (f in. high) in the same collection, on a stone of much deeper azure, though streaked with lighter shades, bears the head of Caracalla, as good a work in point of art as his times could produce, but in which the peculiar execution bears testimony to the difficulties of the task, the hair being made out by a series of drill-holes set close together to express the short curly locks of the irascible tyrant. A singular vitreous polish has been given to the interior of the intaglio, the infallible characteristic of all really antique work in gems of uncommon hardness. But the most famous of all is the Signet of Constantius II. (now in the Einuccini Collection), on a perfect stone 3w eighing fifty-three carats. The Emperor is represented as spearing a monstrous wild boar, designated thereon ΗΙΦΙΑΟ (from his sword-like tusks), before a reclining female figure per­sonifying " Cassarea of Cappadocia," the scene of the exploit. The inscription CONSTANTIVS AVG in the field manifests that this costly stone had been engraved for the actual signet of the imperial hunter. There is now in London a unique
·' This gem has been long known : Dueangc first published it.
Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum Page of 453 Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page