Making an Impression: The Art and Craft of Ancient Engraved Gemstones

From the venue:

Making an Impression: The Art and Craft of Ancient Engraved Gemstones, draws on the museum’s collection of Greek and Roman gems, the majority of which have never been displayed publicly. Carved from semi-precious stones with miniature images of various subjects, including gods, emperors, animals, and characters from myth, engraved gems in the Greek and Roman worlds were used as signets, amulets, and personal ornaments, typically mounted in rings. They were admired (and problematized) as luxury artworks, treasured as antiques and heirlooms, and worn as statements of status, wealth, sophistication, and learning. The stones themselves were also believed to have magical and medicinal properties.