Details

COLEM:1924.4941

Colchester Collections

intaglio, inscription

Roman lapis lazuli intaglio (type F.1) depicting the god Harpocrates. The reverse of the intaglio is inscribed with the Greek vowels IWEH/AVO. This combination of letters, material and decoration (glyptic) place it as a ‘magical gem’ and it is one of only nine known from Roman Britain. Intaglios are engraved gems that were used as a form of personal signature, similar to the modern-day signet ring. In the Roman period, intaglios were mounted as the bezel on finger rings, and were carved from coloured precious stones such as chalcedony, carnelian, onyx and jasper. They were used across the Roman Empire to stamp the wax seals of e.g. letters and legal documents, so that the recipient would know the seal had not been broken and the contents interfered with. As well as practical devices they were also a sign of status and identity for their wearer. Intaglios were used by both men and women and those in Colchester Museums’ collection depict various Roman gods, goddesses and mythical figures. The designs were highly personal to the owner and often related to their personal life or profession.

0200 - 0300

Roman

IWEH / AVO

height: 8.00 mm
width: 5.00 mm

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