gems, glyptic, engraved gems, agate, cameo, intaglio

This bilingual exhibition catalogue presents a selection of ancient engraved gems assembled over approximately thirty years. Its range extends from an Akkadian rock-crystal seal depicting heroes and bulls to a Greek chalcedony gem with a heron and a Byzantine amethyst cameo of Christ Pantokrator. The collection illustrates the technical accomplishment and artistic diversity of glyptic across different periods and civilisations. Provenances linking numerous objects to distinguished earlier collections add a further dimension to their histories of ownership and appreciation.