A large heliotrope roman gnostic intaglio. Anguipes with letters - Helios on a lion with letters.

2nd - 3rd century A.D.

23x29x5 mm

The first side of the stone shows a cock-headed Anguipes in frontal view, his head turned right. He wears a skirt, shield and whip. Around, greek letters, charakteres and inscriptions « ΙΑω - ΑΒΡΑωΑΞ - ΛΕΙΟ - ΡΒΙΟΙΒΟC»…. On the other side, Helios standing right on a lion, holding a whip in his right arm, and his left one upraised. Around, inscriptions « FΜΟΙ Ι Ι ΡΟF » On the edge of the stone, inscription « ΑΒΛΑΝΑΝΑΙΟ» Parallel: A. Mastrocinque, Sylloge Gemmarum Gnostocarum, P.1, 2003, p.296, n° 24

Provenance: english art market.

Estimate: GBP 3000 - 5000