gems, glyptic, engraved gems, agate, cameo, intaglio, Rome, Roman gems, history of gemology, archaeology

As part of the recently established Roman Section of the Istituto di Studi Liguri, and following the teachings and versatility of Nino Lamboglia—whose interests spanned both time and space—it seemed fitting to undertake research into a key aspect of Rome’s manufacturing activity: glyptic production. The idea that Rome was always a center of glyptic art is more often repeated and accepted than thoroughly investigated and understood. For certain periods, such as the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (especially the first half), archival and documentary sources (including autobiographies and biographies of engravers, guides to Rome, travelers’ accounts, and articles in contemporary art journals), as well as numerous specialized studies, allow for a nuanced, though still incomplete, picture. However, for earlier centuries, particularly antiquity and the medieval period, the investigation is far more complex due to the scarcity or fragmentation of targeted studies and related information. The goal of this project is to attempt to reconstruct the various aspects of glyptic production in Rome.