Object Description
A fine Ancient Roman carnelian intaglio featuring a sacrificial scene. A female figure is depicted semi-nude and bent over, with a cloth draped over her lower half and her hair done up in a bun. Her right hand holds up the head of a goat, while her left holds a sacrificial instrument by its throat. The goat’s forelegs are raised up from the ground and its shaggy coat has been rendered with much care. A bowl has been placed below this scene, in order to catch the blood of the animal. Behind, a statuette has been raised up and placed on the top of a pillar, a representation of the god to whom the female figure is sacrificing. A tree curves and branches out above the scene, enriching the upper register of this intaglio. The entire scene has been rendered naturalistically, with much attention paid to the curves of the composition, creating a sense of flowing movement. The reverse is unworked and unadorned. The carnelian presents with a beautiful translucency and red-orange colouring.
This piece is supplied with a museum-quality impression.
Date: Circa 1st – 3rd Century AD