Ring with Intaglio Design: Woman with Wreath and Flutes, Inscription

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Artist
Name	Unknown
Basic Info
Period	Classical period to Hellenistic
Created in	Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe
Century	5th-1st century BCE
Culture	Greek
Dimensions	2 x 1.3 x 2.2 cm (13/16 x 1/2 x 7/8 in.)
Harvard Museum
Department	Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics
Division	Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact	am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Context

The oval bezel of this ring is decorated with an intaglio design depicting a woman, standing left, with an inscription. The woman holds a wreath in her right hand, while her lowered left hand holds a double pipe. She wears a long dress, with vertical folds rendered. The bezel and circular-sectioned hoop are intact. The inscription may be a “kallos” inscription, frequently found on Greek vases, greeting Archelais and noting that she has a beautiful body.

Lisa M. Anderson

TechnicalDetails

Technical Observations

The patina is a dark greenish black, which is worn in some areas. The decorated bezel shows signs of wear. There is a small area of damage to the patina on the back of the bezel, revealing a fresh metal that shows no signs of deep corrosion. There is also a crack or break in the thinner part of the hoop.
 
The ring was cast by the lost-wax process. The fine, crisp details of the hair and letters suggest that the design was cut directly into the metal, although this could also have been done to rework features originally formed in the wax. The facets on the ring were probably formed in the wax.
 
Francesca G. Bewer (submitted 2012)

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of David M. Robinson