Glyptics Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

This paper focuses on the occurrence of sealings impressed by the same seal faces or by very similar seal faces at different archaeological sites in the Late Minoan I period. Sealings are small clay lumps impressed one or more times with... more

This paper focuses on the occurrence of sealings impressed by the same seal faces or by very similar seal faces at different archaeological sites in the Late Minoan I period. Sealings are small clay lumps impressed one or more times with one or more seal faces, and at times inscribed with Linear A signs. Such a sealing system was aimed at controlling the mobilization of resources and goods. The existence of a dense network of inter-regional trade in the Neopalatial Period is indeed well documented by the overall archaeological evidence. Since impressions left on clay nodules by the same seals or by very similar seals occur on different types of sealing found at different sites on Crete (Knossos, Sklavokambos, Hagia Triada, Gournia, Zakros, and Chania) and outside Crete (Akrotiri on the island of Thera), we can argue that the inter-regional trade was, at least in part, managed by one or more central administrations. The aim of this paper is to clarify this last point and address the issue of whether or not we can infer the existence of diplomatic and legal bonds between the Knossos Palace and the other main Aegean settlements from the sealings.

The Royal Museums of Art and History of Brussels (RMAH) boast a rich and world-renowned collection of glyptic material from the Ancient Near East. The collection consists of stamp and cylinder seals, seal impressions and sealings,... more

The Royal Museums of Art and History of Brussels (RMAH) boast a rich and world-renowned collection of glyptic material from the Ancient Near East. The collection consists of stamp and cylinder seals, seal impressions and sealings, originating from a broad range of cultures and dating from the beginning of their production down to the Roman period. They illustrate the entire historical development of a type of object that provides unique insights into the economic, cultural, enviromental and political history of a vast region. Over the years, many of these seals, seal impressions and sealings have been studied and published, but a comprehensive revision of the entire corpus imposed itself since long date. This contribution presents the first results of this scientific and museological exercise.

The gem is now in Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum but originating in the Pitt Rivers Museum at Farnham, Wiltshire. It is a rare example of a Roman intaglio engraved with the image of a Roman military musician. It was purchased at... more

The gem is now in Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum but originating in the Pitt Rivers Museum at Farnham, Wiltshire. It is a rare example of a Roman intaglio engraved with the image of a Roman military musician. It was purchased at Sinzig in Germany in the late nineteenth century.

This paper deals with the possibility of retracing the monumental setting of ancient contexts now lost and not documented directly by the study of indirect sources that describe them, literally or visually. The assumption is that... more

This paper deals with the possibility of retracing the monumental setting of ancient contexts now lost and not documented directly by the study of indirect sources that describe them, literally or visually. The assumption is that monuments that did not come down to the present day can nonetheless be studied and contextualized thanks to what is echoed in literary or epigraphic sources and to their depiction in other media.
Here, the possibility that one or more now-lost statues representing the mušḫuššu, the serpo-dragon of Marduk, were erected at Babylon at least since the Late Babylonian period is discussed on the basis of both epigraphic and iconographic evidence.

Das kelten römer museum manching präsentierte vom 24. Juli 2021 bis zum 6. Februar 2022 die erweiterte Sonderausstellung »Kunst in Miniatur – Antike Gemmen aus Bayern«. Ihr Kernbestand umfasste Exemplare aus der Archäologischen... more

Das kelten römer museum manching präsentierte vom 24. Juli 2021 bis zum 6. Februar 2022 die erweiterte Sonderausstellung »Kunst in Miniatur – Antike Gemmen aus Bayern«. Ihr Kernbestand umfasste Exemplare aus der Archäologischen Staatsammlung München, für die jeweils ihr bayerischer Fundort und meist sogar ihr archäologischer Kontext belegt sind. Dies ist insofern höchst bemerkenswert, als viele andere Gemmen bekanntlich ohne konkrete Provenienzangaben in öffentliche und private Sammlungen gelangen. Exklusiv für den Standort Manching wurde die Ausstellung noch bedeutend erweitert, insbesondere um eine gänzlich neue Abteilung zum reichen Nachleben der antiken Steinschneidekunst im mittelalterlichen und neuzeitlichen Bayern.

References (Bibliography on litho-, mineral-, crystal- and gem-therapy): p. 171-249.

Short contribution presenting some unpublished etruscan scarabs in the Museum of Grosseto.

Edited book accompanying the exhibition "Women at the Dawn of History" starting 29 February 2020 at Sterling Memorial Library, Yale Babylonian Collection, New Haven, CT. The book contains a number of essays on various aspects of the... more

Edited book accompanying the exhibition "Women at the Dawn of History" starting 29 February 2020 at Sterling Memorial Library, Yale Babylonian Collection, New Haven, CT. The book contains a number of essays on various aspects of the topics in addition to a description of all artifacts that are on display.

Ana kullanım amacı ürünlerin bir yerden bir yere nakli sırasında güvenliği, bir odanın veya odanın içerisindeki ürünlerin korunması olsa da farklı kullanım amaçları da bulunan mühürler, gerek üzerindeki betimlemeler ve gerekse... more

Ana kullanım amacı ürünlerin bir yerden bir yere nakli sırasında
güvenliği, bir odanın veya odanın içerisindeki ürünlerin korunması
olsa da farklı kullanım amaçları da bulunan mühürler,
gerek üzerindeki betimlemeler ve gerekse işlendikleri maddeler
ile özellikle tarihöncesinin sanat anlayışı ile oluşturulmuştur.
Arkeoloji literatüründe yayınlanmış ve bilimsel değerlendirmeye
tabi tutulmuş mühürlerin büyük bir kısmı koleksiyonlarda
yer alan eserlere aittir. Ülkemizde bugüne kadar çeşitli
koleksiyonerlere ait eserler yayınlanmış olsa da mühürler
hakkında herhangi bir yayın bulunmamaktadır. Elinizdeki bu
çalışma içerisinde günümüzden 8000 yıl öncesinden 1500 yıl
öncesine kadar olan zaman dilimine ait damga, silindir ve kompozit
mühürler yer almaktadır. Bu bağlamda Ülkemiz için bir
ilk olma özelliğine de sahip olan elinizdeki çalışma entelektüel
okuyucuya söz konusu mühürler ve ait oldukları dönemlerle
ilgili genel resmi sunmayı amaçlarken koleksiyonda yer alan
mühürlerin bilim dünyasına tanıtılmasını da hedeflemektedir.

The Hermitage collection of ancient jewellery is extensive and diverse. The greater part of it consists of exhibits found in the course of archaeological excavations that are now customarily published as whole sets together with other... more

The Hermitage collection of ancient jewellery is extensive and diverse. The greater
part of it consists of exhibits found in the course of archaeological excavations that are
now customarily published as whole sets together with other material. This catalogue
includes only ancient jewellery items acquired by the museum at various times from
private collections. They are assigned to a special group as they have no archaeological
context. We have selected for publication rings and seals made from precious metals
with the use of precious and semiprecious stones. The main section consists of gold artefacts
and significantly fewer silver, stone and gilded bronze rings.

The Chiaravalle Cross, a masterpiece of Mediaeval goldsmithery, went under restoration in 2016. This was a unique opportunity to undertake an in-depth multidisciplinary study. Several issues were addressed, as for example the chronology... more

The Chiaravalle Cross, a masterpiece of Mediaeval goldsmithery, went under restoration in 2016. This was a unique opportunity to undertake an in-depth multidisciplinary study. Several issues were addressed, as for example the chronology of the Cross, lacking any official document about it. The scientific investigations included in situ and laboratory measurements, and the analyses, part of a multidisciplinary protocol, completely characterized the gemstones adorning the Cross, the cameos, the gold, silver, jasper and glass parts, to derive indications on their provenance, authenticity and dating issues. All the results were shared with the whole collaboration of experts, which included art historians, a restorer, a conservator, a scholar in ancient glyptic, gemologists, archaeometallurgists, physicists and scientists in a very fruitful exchange of knowledge. This work is an example of a real multidisciplinary research, gathering good practices in the study of a complex piece of art.

Iconic seals and bullae of the Iron Age from the City of David, Jerusalem.

данный каталог представляет памятники античного ювелирного искусства, поступившие в разное время в Эрмитаж из частных коллекций. они выделены в особую группу, поскольку не имеют археологического контекста. с конца XVIII в. эта группа... more

данный каталог представляет памятники античного ювелирного искусства, поступившие в разное время в Эрмитаж из частных коллекций. они выделены в особую группу, поскольку не имеют археологического контекста. с конца XVIII в. эта группа памятников активно пополнялась за счет поступлений от европейских коллекционеров, а в XIX — начале XX века основными поставщиками стали антиквары и собиратели, привозившие замечательные артефакты с юга россии. в каталоге представлены древнегреческие и римские кольца, перстни, печати, выполненные из благородных металлов с использованием драгоценных и полудрагоценных камней. Предметы размещены в хронологическом порядке от архаических до позднеантичных. Каталог адресован историкам, искусствоведам, археологам, реставраторам и всем, кто интересуется ювелирным искусством.

Egypt’s Red Sea island of Zabargad, also called St. John’s Island, is arguably the world’s most famous source of gem olivine, or peridot. Both the island and its eponymous gemstone were called “topazos” by ancient writers. Although much... more

Egypt’s Red Sea island of Zabargad, also called St. John’s Island, is arguably the world’s most famous source of gem olivine, or peridot. Both the island and its eponymous gemstone were called “topazos” by ancient writers. Although much has been written about Zabargad’s unusual geology and modern mine workings, an ancient peridot mine had not been verified until a geo-archaeological expedition to the island in 2010 confirmed the existence of ancient mine workings and associated ruins of buildings and a water well. In the first of two companion articles, the findings from this expedition are discussed in relation to literary references on the subject and the relationship between Zabargad and Berenike, the Ptolemaic-Roman port city on the Egyptian mainland opposite the island and a major emporium for the maritime trade with eastern Africa, the Persian Gulf and India. Peridot was imported via this port-of-entry into the Graeco-Roman world, where it was used primarily for ring stones. In the second article, the historiography of ancient literary sources on both the identity and geographic origins of the gem known today as peridot is examined with reference to the 2010 expedition to Zabargard and a survey of extant ancient engraved gems carved from peridot. Among other possible sources of peridot in antiquity is a second Red Sea island called “Cytis” by the Roman encyclopedist Pliny the Elder (d. AD 79). The association of Cytis with modern Kod Ali Island, located a few kilometers off the coast of Eritrea, is also discussed.

Se presenta aquí un conjunto de trabajos, dirigidos a los especialistas, que bajo el lema «Arte, mitologías, creencias», toman como objeto de estudio (como documento) las gemas y camafeos antiguos, producidos en época romana, aunque... more

Se presenta aquí un conjunto de trabajos, dirigidos a los especialistas, que bajo el lema «Arte, mitologías, creencias», toman como objeto de estudio (como documento) las gemas y camafeos antiguos, producidos en época romana, aunque muchos de ellos inspirados en otras culturas: la griega como fuente de temas mitológicos, y la egipcia (con diversas adaptaciones propias y características) para el universo de las gemas mágicas, de las que aquí se presentan varias investigaciones.
Esta es la primera entrega de Glyptós. Con este título pretendemos iniciar una serie de volúmenes, del mismo tenor que el actual, para contribuir al afianzamiento de esta disciplina en nuestro país de la mano de reconocidos especialistas en glíptica antigua.

Greek and Roman mythology tell us how the patron deity of the newly founded city of Athens was chosen in a competition between Athena and Poseidon. The gods raced to the Acropolis, where they offered gifts to Athens . Athena caused an... more

Greek and Roman mythology tell us how the patron deity of the newly founded city of Athens was chosen in a competition between Athena and Poseidon. The gods raced to the Acropolis, where they offered gifts to Athens . Athena caused an olive tree to spring up, whereas Poseidon struck the ground with his trident, prompting a spring of water to gush forth. Although Poseidon had reached the Acropolis first, Cecrops – the legendary king of Athens, shown in art as half-human and half-snake – favoured Athena. This displeased Poseidon, who cursed the city with a flood. Zeus intervened and allowed the Athenians to choose the goddess. This story has inspired several works of art of different periods, sizes and materials. This article examines the depiction on engraved gems – with essential detours to marble sculpture and numismatics – of the ‘dispute of Athena and Poseidon’, or rather the presentation of the gifts, with the gods facing each other.

Questo contributo vuole porre l’accento sull’influsso che le opere della glittica hanno verosimilmente avuto sulla produzione artistica rinascimentale, in particolare fiorentina e romana, in un clima culturale imbevuto di antichità e... more

Questo contributo vuole porre l’accento sull’influsso che le opere della glittica hanno verosimilmente avuto sulla produzione artistica rinascimentale, in particolare fiorentina e romana, in un clima culturale imbevuto di antichità e desiderio di autorappresentazione di una élite alla guida, più o meno conclamata, delle corti e delle città italiane. La dimensione ridotta delle gemme, la loro quantità, e la facilità di riproduzione, hanno favorito il diffondere delle loro iconografie e l’invenzione di nuove allegorie.

Indumenti e accessori si sono rilevati elementi di grande interesse per comprendere come e perché, anche in antico, le Persone scegliessero i loro ornamenti e fossero pronte a grandi investimenti di denaro, pur di mostrarsi con oggetti... more

Indumenti e accessori si sono rilevati elementi di grande interesse per comprendere come e perché, anche in antico, le Persone scegliessero i loro ornamenti e fossero pronte a grandi investimenti di denaro, pur di mostrarsi con oggetti preziosi, che ne indicassero lo status di appartenenza, gioielli realizzati talvolta da artigiani stranieri e per i quali venivano spesso utilizzate materie prime di remota provenienza. Coloro che migravano portavano con sé abiti e accessori tradizionali, che finivano per integrarsi con il costume locale. Talvolta le genti autoctone decidevano al contrario di indossare ornamenti ‘stranieri’, soprattutto quando il popolo giunto nel loro territorio, raggiungeva la supremazia e quindi era preferibile mostrarsi partecipi delle nuove mode per essere inclusi nei nuovi ambienti di potere. Tutti gli esseri umani hanno infatti bisogno, in ogni tempo, di sentirsi parte di un gruppo sociale di successo e quindi cercano di assumerne l’aspetto. Allo stesso tempo però tutti hanno bisogno di conservare segno e memoria della propria identità e quindi difficilmente rinunciano ad un accessorio, magari piccolo, che possa continuare a ricordare chi sono e da dove vengono.

The aim of this paper is to decipher the means of transmission of the cylinder-seal from Greater Mesopotamia to Egypt which occurs during the Naqada IIc-d1 period. An autonomous Egyptian glyptic tradition seems to begin early in Late... more

The aim of this paper is to decipher the means of transmission of the cylinder-seal from Greater Mesopotamia to Egypt which occurs during the Naqada IIc-d1 period. An autonomous Egyptian glyptic tradition seems to begin early in Late Naqada IId, around 3300 BC. This school overlay specifically Egyptian motifs upon the bases of the Middle Uruk Mesopotamian heritage, something which is especially evident in the seals’ composition. Beginning with that date, seals in Egypt no longer appear as mere ornamental objects in tombs and actually take on their role as a functional tool.

Like earlier peoples in the Near East, the Sasanians favoured composite creatures, such as human-headed bulls, griffins, and grylli,3 for the decoration of objects, particularly seals. One species of fantastic creature which has hitherto... more

Like earlier peoples in the Near East, the Sasanians favoured composite creatures, such as human-headed bulls, griffins, and grylli,3 for the decoration of objects, particularly seals. One species of fantastic creature which has hitherto gone unrecognized, and has even been ...

In the present paper we put forward some preliminary observations on glyphic references to architectural structures, especially houses and temples, in the writing system of ancient Teotihuacan. Based on comparisons to examples of similar... more

In the present paper we put forward some preliminary observations on glyphic references to architectural structures, especially houses and temples, in the writing system of ancient Teotihuacan. Based on comparisons to examples of similar textual references to architecture in Maya and Nawatl writing, we suggest that a temple (literally 'house') in Teotihuacan writing could be represented as an entire building, shown frontally or in profile, or graphically reduced to a simple and conventionalized almena. In addition we will present a provisional list of glyphic references to named structures in Teotihuacan writing, discussing some of them in greater detail. Finally, we will briefly discuss examples of titles that appear to have been derived from, or associated with, highly important structures. In order to situate these findings, we start by providing a short overview of our current understanding of Teotihuacan writing. Resumen En el presente estudio proponemos algunas observaciones preliminares respecto a las referencias jeroglíficas a las estructuras arquitectónicas, especialmente casas y templos, en el sistema de escritura teotihuacano. Con base en comparación a ejemplos de similares referencias textuales a la arquitectura, existentes en la escritura maya y nawatl, sugerimos que un templo (literalmente 'casa') en la escritura teotihuacana podía representarse como edificio entero, mostrado de frente o en perfil, o reducirse gráficamente a una almena básica y convencionalizada. Además, ofrecemos una lista provisional de referencias glíficas a las estructuras nombradas en la escritura teotihuacana, comentando algunas de ellas en mayor detalle. Por último, comentamos brevemente ejemplos de títulos que pueden haberse derivado o haberse asociado a estructuras de alta importancia. Para contextualizar estos resultados, comenzamos con una breve descripción de nuestra comprensión actual de la escritura teotihuacana. THE WRITING SYSTEM OF TEOTIHUACAN The nature of the notational system present at Teotihuacan has been the source of ongoing debate for several decades. Is it a type of incipient writing, a symbolic notational system resembling European heraldry as advocated by some? Alternatively, is it a writing system on par with other glyphic writing systems known for Mesoamerica? Is it because the writing system of Teotihuacan remains undeciphered that it is shrouded in so much ambiguity? The writing system of Teotihuacan has not received the attention it deserves, and despite the attempts of various researchers, a consensus has not been achieved as to its identity and function. Part of the problem rests with the fact that Teotihuacan is quickly drawn into the debate that involves all central Mexican writing systems as to whether these represent writing at all, incipient picture-writing or some other form of notational record (Berlo 1989;

To supplement the excellent catalog of Sasanian seals in the British Museum, published by A. D. H. Bivar in 1969,1 are four seals in the Museum's Medieval collection. Only one has been published previously. Nos. 1-3 were acquired with... more

To supplement the excellent catalog of Sasanian seals in the British Museum, published by A. D. H. Bivar in 1969,1 are four seals in the Museum's Medieval collection. Only one has been published previously. Nos. 1-3 were acquired with groups of objects of European provenance; no. 4 was transferred from the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities.2 The description of each seal, according to its impression, is followed by a brief discussion of its iconography and style. Measurements are in millimeters, length x width or diameter, and height if available.

The famous "Seal of Nero, a Roman intaglio depicting Apollo, Marsyas and Olympus, was once in the collection of Lorenzo il Magnifico and is now in the National Museum of Naples. Two gems related to that "Seal of Nero" are published here... more

The famous "Seal of Nero, a Roman intaglio depicting Apollo, Marsyas and Olympus, was once in the collection of Lorenzo il Magnifico and is now in the National Museum of Naples. Two gems related to that "Seal of Nero" are published here for the first time: one, a severely damaged intaglio kept in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, is supposed to date from the third quarter of the first century BC. Another gem with a similar motif, a refined Renaissance cameo, recentlya ppeared in Oxfordshire and is now in a private collection in London. It is presumed that this perfectly preserved piece originally was in the possession of the Medici. The author considers a possible attribution of this work to the young Michelangelo Buonarroti and discusses a copy shown in a portrait painting by Botticelli now in the Städel Museum in Frankfurt on the Main. (summary by Matthias Barth)

Tatarlı Höyük is one of the largest settlements of Cilicia Pedias (Idios / Compestris). It is located on the important commercial and military routes at the western exit of the Amanus Mountains, in the east of the Ceyhan district of... more

Tatarlı Höyük is one of the largest settlements of Cilicia Pedias (Idios / Compestris). It is located on the important commercial and military routes at the western exit of the Amanus Mountains, in the east of the Ceyhan district of Adana. It is also close to the Hittite-Kizzuwatna Caravan Road and is connected to Central Anatolia by this route. This article discusses a seal and two seal impressions which were found in the excavations of Tatarlı Höyük in 2013 and 2015. One of the seal impressions is without an inscription and it can be suggested that it belongs to 16th-15th century BC. The other seal impression is inscribed and the female name Pati is read. We can propose a date of this hieroglyphic seal impression extending from the 14th to the 13th century BC. One terracotta stamp seal was found out of context during 2015 excavation season. We can read the name of the seal owner as Sàlipi and it can be proposed to date to the 15th to 14th BC.

Look at the list of contents for more detailed description of what is inside the volume.

This paper examines ancient glyptics that provide evidence for the merging of the cults of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing, and Graeco-Roman Hermes/Mercury. With the use of semantics and iconological methodologies, the paper... more

This paper examines ancient glyptics that provide evidence for the merging of the cults of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing, and Graeco-Roman Hermes/Mercury. With the use of semantics and iconological methodologies, the paper demonstrates that the popularity of the syncretic deity Hermes-Thoth was far greater than previously thought and, in fact, comparable to that of other syncretic figures, such as Hermanubis. This is possible because the analysis is not limited to the iconography of magical gems that clearly refer to this deity represented in figural form, but also encompasses symbolic amulets featuring rebuses which, if properly read, refer to Hermes-Thoth as well. It is argued that kerykeion was not the only Hellenising element used to mark Hermes's nature in the cult of Hermes-Thoth. The article also contributes to the wider discussion on the identification and function of magical gems and amulets in general.