Object Description
A striking ancient Roman, stone intaglio, set in an iron ring bezel, depicting Cupid. The iron bezel frames the inlay, extending to the shoulders of the ring, beyond which has been chipped and is now missing. Oval in shape and intricately engraved, the intaglio features Cupid, nude and winged, riding a phallus to the left. Set upon a straight ground line, the phallus stands on the back legs of a lion, merging with what would have been the testes, with its long curling tail extending upwards behind its rider. Cupid, shown in profile, holds in his right hand a goad and in his left, reins, which wrap about the head of the appendage. His legs dangle from the phallus, not touching the ground, while his rounded, protruding stomach rests on the top. Both the phallus and the god have been rendered stylistically, with the long, straight nose, eyes, closed lips, curly hair, and wings of the god, as well as the hair and anatomical details of the phallus, still clearly visible. The stone of the intaglio, possibly ironstone, is opaque and presents with a beautiful black-grey colouring.
Date: Circa 1st-3rd Century AD