Details

COLEM:2014.27.240.AO

Colchester Collections

intaglio, fenwick hoard

The Fenwick Treasure

This Roman blue glass intaglio was found inside a jewellery box - part of the Fenwick Treasure, discovered in 2014 under the Fenwick store in Colchester High Street. The treasure, also known as the Insula 19 Hoard, is one of the finest groups of jewellery from early Roman Britain. It was buried when Queen Boudica attacked the city in AD 60/1 but was never recovered by its owners. The intaglio is ovoid with a flat face, engraved with image of a pantheress, and is between 50-100 years older than the date of the hoard. 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.

0025 - 0025

Roman

length: 11.00 mm
width: 10.00 mm
depth: 2.00 mm
weight: 0.39 g