gems, glyptic, engraved gems, agate, cameo, intaglio, Greek, Roman

Sinkankas: Excellent, thorough, detailed—a standard work, much referred to by later authors. The text is in two distinct parts, the first being a general treatise on engraved gems, and the second a descriptive catalog of the collection of 117 antique and 11 modern gems. The text begins with a discussion of archaic engraving, the flourishing of the art and its evidences in the Greek and Roman periods, types of gems, inscriptions, artist signatures, characteristics, and clues as to authenticity, including specimens from the Middle Ages and various gem materials. Middleton was especially concerned with the detection of fakes and therefore provides much useful advice. The plates, of very good quality, depict only 37 gems. Consult C. W. Antique Gems und Rings 2, 1872, pp. 39–40, for comments on outstanding gems in the Leake collection, purchased by the Fitzwilliam Museum.