,transcriber's ,note3 ,text delimited by underscores is italics4 ,text delimited by pound signs 77 is gesperrt4 ,,engraved ,,gems ,,engraved ,,gems ,,by ,,maxwell ,,sommerville ,,professor ,,of ,,glyptology1 ,,university ,,of ,,pennsylvania2 ,,author ,,of 8,,sands ,,of ,,sahara10 8,,siam10 ,,etc42 ,,corresponding ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,soci,t ,,acad,,mique ,,des ,,sciences1 ,,arts ,,et ,,belles-,,lettres ,,du ,d,,partement ,,de ,l',,aube1 ,,france1 ,,etc4 ,illustration ,,drexel ,,biddle1 ,,publisher ,,philadelphia ,,london ,,san ,,francisco ,,toronto #aija ,,copyright1 #aija ,,by ,,maxwell ,,sommerville ,,printed ,,by ,,drexel ,,biddle ,,philadelphia ,,london ,,preface4 ,my former treatise1 8,engraved ,gems1 their ,place in the ,history of ,art10 being largely illustrated and inconvenient in size1 ,i have abridged the work and with new material prepared this volume4 ,the various epochs of gem engraving from the earliest eras down to the ,,xviii4 century are briefly described4 ,many people throughout the year cast passing glances at my glyptic collection in the ,free ,museum of ,science and ,art of the ,university of ,pennsylvania4 ,they express great admiration of the beautiful objects in stones of many colors and interesting designs4 ,it was never intended to make only an attractive display2 what ,i have always desired and hoped for was that a proportion of our visitors would recognize in my life's work a contribution to science4 ,it is a classified representation of the glyptic work of more than forty centuries1 so carefully arranged that those who care to learn through the medium of those beautiful engraved stones1 cylinders1 seals1 and ,gnostic tokens1 may inform themselves intelligently on the science which these gems of all epochs so thoroughly exemplify4 ,men in this ,western ,world during the last three hundred years have been engrossed in the pursuit and acquisition of fortunes4 ,a fair proportion of the population now having secured competency1 that condition once assured1 with increased opportunities for intellectual culture and the enjoyment of art1 the development of refined tastes and pursuits in ,america has been marked by the formation of many private collections4 ,amateurs have gradually become connoisseurs in manuscripts1 ceramics1 enamels1 engravings1 ancient coins1 armor1 and arms4 ,happily1 each is engrossed in his particular branch of antiquities4 ,it is to be hoped that we may all profit by their researches1 and that the antique objects acquired by them may be stored in the ,archological ,museums of the world1 that all who will may view them and learn from them4 ,,maxwell ,,sommerville4 ,presuming that the majority of my readers would understand the ,latin inscription from an engraved stone1 which decorates the cover of this book1 ,i have not given any translation4 ,by request ,i add the following explanation3 ,,non ,,solvm ,,no,,bis ,,nati ,,svmvs,,ortvsqve ,,nostri,,partem ,,patria ,,si,,bi ,,vendicat ,,partem,,parentes ,,partem ,,amici 8,not alone for ourselves were we born1 and of our birth our country claims for itself a part1 our parents a part1 our friends a part0 7vendicat for vindicat74 ,on the reverse of the stone1 which is not shown1 is the inscription-- ,,mortis ,,mores ,,omnibus ,,quales4 ,this is one of those peculiar maxims so often found in the ,latin language1 as it is employed in epitaphs4 ,the simplest manner in which it can be translated is as follows3 manners customs are 8,the usage of ,death is equal for all40 law ,death is here personified1 as was ,peace1 ,justice1 ,concord1 etc41 by the ,romans4 ,,maxwell ,,sommerville4 ,,contents4 ,,page ,,engraved ,,gems #aa ,,egypt #af ,,persia ,,and ,,babylon #bb ,,the ,,etruscans--,,etruria #cf ,,ph,,nicia #dc ,,greece #dh ,,roman #ee ,,abraxas #eh ,,early ,,christians #fe ,,byzantine #fh ,,medi,,val #gf ,,renaissance #hj ,,succeeding ,,declines ,,and ,,revivals #hf ,,some ,,types ,,of ,,remarkable ,,gems #hi ,,religion ,,on ,,stones #ih ,,historic ,,cameos #ajd ,,animals ,,and ,,birds #aab ,,antique ,,pastes #aaf ,,mythological #aba ,,chinese1 ,,burmese1 ,,and ,,siamese #abc ,,aztec ,,or ,,mexican #abg ,,retrospective #abi ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,,page ,protogenis1 a ,comedian of the ,second ,century1 with a ,mask1 ,playing the ,character of ,meleager1 the 8,wild ,boar ,hunter10 ,engraved in ,his ,time #aa ,vestal ,virgins ,guarding the ,palladium1 the ,sacred ,effigy of ,minerva #ae ,egyptian #ag ,egyptian ,scarabeus3 ,the ,barque of the ,sun1 ,represented by the ,hieroglyph of the ,city of ,heliopolis4 ,the ,obelisk below with the ,god ,ra--and the ,deess ,ma1 together ,ra-,men-,ma1 the ,prenomen of ,king ,set ,first1 ,second ,king of the ,,xix4 ,dynasty #ba ,portrait of ,sapor #bb ,allegorical ,sketch of ,persia #bc ,impressions of ,babylonian ,cylinders #bg ,impressions of ,assyrian1 ,persian1 ,hittite1 ,phnician1 and ,cyprian ,cylinders #bi ,allegorical ,sketch of the ,source of ,history #cc ,persian ,seals #ce ,etruscan ,sketch #cg ,etruscan ,scarabeus #dj ,phnician ,scarabei and ,intaglios #db ,phnician ,intaglios1 ,mask1 etc4 #de ,callimachus1 the ,greek ,inventor of the ,corinthian ,capitol #dh ,greek and ,roman ,intaglio ,rings #ej ,cameo1 the ,greek ,pallas #eb ,roman ,gems #ed ,cameo in ,high ,relief1 ,roman ,emperor ,caracalla #eg ,abraxas or ,gnostic ,gems #ei ,abraxas ,token #fb ,abraxas or ,gnostic ,gems #fc ,early ,christian ,token #fg ,byzantine ,gems #fi ,byzantine ,cabinet and ,gems #gc ,the ,annunciation #ge ,an ,orgie of ,silenus #gh ,renaissance-,medici ,period #ha ,noah's ,ark #he ,a very fine ,intaglio by ,giovanni ,pickler--,ceres #hg ,jupiter giochus #ia ,the ,triumph of ,constantine #ie ,john the ,baptist ,preaching in the ,wilderness #ajc ,historic ,cameos3 #acdg1 ,trajan offering a ,sacrifice to ,mars ,vincitore2 #acdh1 the ,triumphant ,entry of ,titus ,vespasianus into ,jerusalem #aje ,coriolanus3 ,his ,mother and ,wife ,beseeching ,him to ,raise the ,siege of ,rome #ajg ,historic ,cameos3 #acci1 ,trajan ,pursuing a ,wild ,boar2 #acej and #acea1 ,prisoners2 #acdi1 the ,exit from ,jerusalem of the ,victorious ,army of ,titus ,vespasianus1 the ,golden ,candlesticks1 etc4 #aji ,cock and ,serpent3 ,the ,cock ,intaglio1 8,vigilance20 ,the ,serpent in ,relief--,cameo2 ,the ,serpent's ,tail in its ,mouth1 8,eternity0 #aae ,antique ,pastes #aag ,fragment of ,antique ,paste1 ,basso-rilievo #abj ,a ,chimera3 ,four ,faces and the ,horn of ,jupiter ,ammon #abb ,a ,chinese ,cameo #abd ,aztec or ,mexican #abf ,aztec or ,mexican #abh ,odenatus and ,zenobia #acj ,illustration ,,engraved ,,gems4 ,when specimens of any ancient art industry are brought together and classified in a museum it is interesting to compare each piece and trace the work from the hands of the different nationalities through all the transitions and changing history of past centuries4 ,my collection exemplifies the progress in execution of engraved gems from the most primitive eras through periods of varying excellence and of inevitable decline4 ,the quality of the execution approaches perfection and degenerates as in a geometrical progression repeating itself in reverse2 advancing and improving in fineness up to nearly the end of the first century1 the century of ,christ1 and from the beginning of the second century retrograding to the base of mediocrity at the end of the fifth century4 ,the sixth and seventh centuries1 the ,byzantine period1 yielded a group of principally religious cameos1 abundant1 curious1 and of great interest4 ,this was succeeded by several hundred years not of repose in the art1 but of wretched ignorance1 when man almost ceased to create a connecting link in the history of the glyptic art4 ,with rare exceptions1 the specimens of that time scarcely merit the designation of gems3 it was a period that may be reasonably identified as the night of art1 when1 alas6 in the darkness blows were stricken which destroyed and reduced to fragments much that was precious and beautiful1 and vandalism1 contributing nothing that was fair1 robbed us of a large part of our inheritance4 ,the progression alluded to is1 in my estimation1 only a question of comparative beauty4 ,if we seek for1 or are capable of appreciating1 the most interesting1 that which gives us history1 we must find it at the beginning of that progression--the era of the ,babylonians--with its messages handed down to us on their wonderful cylinders4 ,my path of research has led me where are gathered stones--engraved stones1 art-links in a carved chain reaching from the earliest cylinders and seals of the ,persians1 centuries before and beyond those wonderful stone books1 the inscribed temples of ,egypt4 ,whilst considering and studying these specimens of the work of the ancients we will walk upon the crumbled ruins of by-gone centuries2 our retrospective view shall be where changing elements1 rust1 and age have spared but traces of palaces and temples2 we will stroll beside the pebbled course of a rapid stream until we reach a grove where ,i oft have been1 and found a rich repast2 no shrines1 no obelisks1 no statues1 naught but these precious little stepping-stones1 by which we will follow the stream of thus revealed history1 and in the vale of antiquity1 with these miniature monuments1 study and enjoy the indelible portraiture of ages4 ,palaces1 obelisks1 statues1 and the walls of ancient cities have rarely been preserved to us1 other than in decay1 ruin1 and fragments4 ,yet engraved gems1 those smaller monuments on hard stones1 have been spared in the very dbris of these larger structures1 and we are thus enabled to secure examples of the handiwork of one branch of art1 covering many epochs and periods4 ,my earnest eyes have looked up to and gazed upon the silent monuments and shrines of men1 who during long centuries have rested from their scientific labors4 ,a wanderer in lands adapted to my researches1 my object has been to learn something of these mute monitors and to bring back to my native land examples of the special branch of ancient art which has been the pursuit of my life4 ,many discouraging moments1 even years1 have been passed1 yet always with the hope that my labor and its results might some day be appreciated4 ,years ago while rejoicing in the possession of the glyptic portraits of the ,emperors ,tiberius1 ,caracalla1 ,constantine1 and that of ,faustina1 ,i thought with pleasant anticipation of the moment when on returning from voyages of acquisition ,i might introduce them to intellectual friends of 8,science and ,art40 ,these gems are here being considered in their respective epochs4 ,those who desire to inform themselves on the science of 8,engraved ,gems0 will find in these pages a brief view of that subject2 it is in response to many friendly demands1 and shall be as concise as reasonably possible1 in keeping with ancient records on engraved stones1 cylinders1 and seals4 ,your attention is asked to this general view of the subject1 with the hope that it may enlist some inquirers and admirers of this glyptic question1 so little esteemed or understood in these days2 a subject not only representing a branch of art covering a period of forty odd centuries1 but a science through whose engraved gems we have been enabled to enrich our knowledge of the ancient history of the world4 ,each nation which in ancient times practised the glyptic art1 produced a certain style or quality of execution4 ,after serious study of the general subject of glyptology1 one finds that the work of each epoch1 and of each nationality1 bears some unmistakable trait4 ,these features we can almost always recognize as emanating from a certain people4 ,so completely have we acquired an acquaintance with the various characteristics of each nation's handiwork in engraving gems1 that we are enabled also to discern the epoch2 not to a year1 but within a century or even a decade4 ,in proportion to the rudeness of the incisions we recognize the barbaric condition of the people among whom they were incised2 also in proportion to the fineness of the incision1 beauty of conception1 and execution of the design1 do we estimate the civilization of the epoch and of the people4 ,some of the nations who have bequeathed us engraved gems were1 in two respects1 the first sculptors4 ,they were first1 not only because none of ability had preceded them1 but rather were they first in art rank1 and in excellence of conception2 their execution has never been surpassed2 their statues and high reliefs have never been equalled in modern times4 ,many of those colossal art works in stone have been transported to the ,vatican1 to ,france1 ,england1 ,austria1 ,germany1 ,russia1 some even to ,america2 we are all conversant with them4 ,therefore1 you can readily imagine how we define and classify the work of each epoch and nation1 when a miscellaneous mass of engraved gems are placed before us for classification4 ,illustration ,,egypt4 ,everyone in these days is familiar with those colossal stone figures of ,rameses1 ,osiris1 ,thotmes1 and others in the sands of ,egypt4 ,their heavy1 placid countenances1 almost seeming to dream1 while their inert arms and hands hold forth the insignia of autocrats of ,egypt under the ,pharaohs4 ,in ,egypt1 especially in the earlier or more remote dynasties1 man seems to have had the intention of handing down to posterity the records of his power1 his possessions1 and of his own appearance1 on great stone statues1 obelisks1 and basso-rilievos1 in the most indestructible manner4 ,besides the colossal stone bequests created for generations unborn1 happily they produced the same portraitures and cartouches in miniature gems4 ,the majority of the temple decorations in stone have crumbled1 while we can possess and enjoy the glyptic relics which have survived the ravages of time uninjured4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #dfg ,illustration3 #dhj obverse4 ,illustration3 #dhi obverse4 ,illustration3 #deh ,illustration3 #dhj reverse4 ,illustration3 #dhi reverse4 ,illustration3 #def ,,egyptian4 ,among the ,scarabei are especially interesting examples larger in size termed funereal2 ,no4 #adgf in my ,university ,collection is one of those ,scarabei which were buried with the dead1 sometimes on the breast underneath the wrappings1 and sometimes within the body of the mummy in the place of the heart4 ,the heart was embalmed separately in a vase1 and placed under the protection of the genius ,duaoumautew4 ,this doubtlessly was done because the heart was considered indispensable for the resurrection1 yet it could not be placed in the body until it had been upon the scales and had passed the judgment of ,osiris4 ,when the sentence was favorable it was promised that 8his heart shall be returned to its original cavity40 ,the heart1 the principle of existence and regeneration1 was symbolized by the ,scarabeus4 ,this is why texts relative to the heart were inscribed on funereal ,scarabei4 ,on this ,scarabeus the deceased speaks1 saying3 8,i hope that my soul shall speedily quit or rise from the regions infernal1 and1 reappearing on earth1 may do all that pleases it40 ,also ,no4 #adgi1 a funereal ,scarabeus1 interesting from the fact that the inscription contains part of the #cjth chapter of the ,book of the ,dead--that is1 the chapter concerning the heart3 8,my heart1 which comes to me from my mother--my heart1 necessary to my existence on earth--do not raise thyself against me among or before the chief divinities40 ,these were the superior gods1 whom the ,egyptians supposed to be in the immediate surrounding or presence of ,isis4 ,the remainder of the inscription is less legible4 ,on the first line is the name of ,osiris ,jam 7all the dead had ,osiris prefixed to their names72 on the last line is the name of his father1 which is indistinct2 it was evidently the same as the name of a plant1 and ending with ,m1 but cannot be defined2 that is1 it is inscribed 8son of ----10 and then the unintelligible name alluded to4 ,also ,no4 #adeg1 a funereal ,scarabeus1 on which the deceased1 speaking1 expresses hopes1 continually repeated1 that his soul may have a happy voyage1 happy relief1 and transport from the inevitable transitory domain to which all are consigned4 ,also ,no4 #adhj1 ,egyptian ,scarabeus1 containing a vow or wish1 a vase representing a libation4 ,the sum of the rendering of the inscription is3 8,i dedicate my life to truth1 and hope for cooling breezes and libations40 ,and ,no4 #adfa4 ,the inscription expresses a vow or wish3 8,,nefer ,,khet ,,neb0--8,all things good 7for thee760--a ,new ,year's wish4 ,there were artisans who engraved the larger funereal ,scarabei and kept them ready made on sale1 so that in the event of a man dying unexpectedly in youth or the prime of life who had not thought to prepare for his sojourn in the tomb1 his family repaired to these shops1 and1 choosing a ,scarabeus to their taste or liking1 purchased it2 the engraver then added the name of the deceased1 and they placed it under the wrappings of the mummy4 ,these traffickers also did a thriving trade with the living3 many provided themselves in advance4 ,there were always a variety from which to choose2 the engraver had them for every taste4 ,they were inscribed with just such vows or wishes for the future and the repose or the enjoyment of the soul1 or the commending of the soul to the patronage and protection of some special god or deess1 as the case might demand for a man or a woman4 ,often selections were given from the poetic devotional writings of their mentors1 and frequently we meet with selections from the ,book of the ,dead4 ,we find shreds and examples of the costumes of the occupants of graves of other ancient nations4 ,these garments were made1 as now1 that the body might be decorously placed at rest4 ,this we also find in ,egypt1 the mummy-wrappings concealing and protecting the ,scarabei presenting this beautiful sentiment1 indeed unique--a symbol that was worn in life1 emblematic of its ephemeral tenure and of the ultimate resurrection from death and the grave2 a symbol that accompanied its owner to the narrow home1 not to ornament it1 but as a token of that tenant's belief that this would be only a brief occupancy2 a symbol ready to be worn when that tenant should enter on his resurrection into an eternal lease of joy in a world beyond4 ,illustration ,,persia ,,and ,,babylon4 ,we are particularly interested in the curious and elaborately engraved cylinders and seals of the ,assyrians1 ,persians1 the ,babylonians1 the ,chaldeans1 the ,hittites1 which not only give us their costumes1 but are laden with cuneiform inscriptions4 ,in my collection there is a gem of the same style of work as the stone slab in the ,university ,museum procured by ,professor ,h4 ,v4 ,hilprecht from the ancient palace of ,ashurna ,sirbal1 ,king of ,assyria #hhd to #hfj ,b4 ,c4 ,illustration ,this glyptic specimen is in miniature1 engraved on a rich wine-colored dark sard bearing a portrait of ,king ,sapor ,i42 he was the second of the ,sassanians1 who reigned in the third century4 ,he was crowned in the year #bdb ,a4 ,d4 ,it is surrounded by an inscription in ,sassanian4 ,sapor's invasion of ,palmyra and his contests with the forces of ,zenobia are interesting incidents of that romantic episode in ,oriental history4 ,illustration3 ,,persian ,,and ,,sassanian ,,seals4 ,cylinders are evidently the oldest form of seals1 though it is believed that the art originated on sections of wooden reeds4 ,we find ,chaldean cylinders now more than #djjj years old4 ,the signets of kings in the cylindric form were incised in the harder and more precious materials1 such as chalcedony in several hues1 the fairest those tinged with a sapphire tint 7though not the most ancient71 sards1 carnelians1 and occasionally beautiful red jasper2 hematite in abundance2 serpentine and many softer stones1 alabaster1 steatite1 etc4 ,it remains a question on what materials the impressions were made1 though scientists have learned that the figures in relief on patties of pipe-clay found so plentifully in ,babylon are the imprints of these cylinders4 ,though a large proportion of cylinders are rudely designed and more coarsely executed1 many of them are freely1 vigorously1 and well drawn1 evincing a high degree of talent4 ,remark the anatomical drawings of man and beast2 they are unsurpassed in any age1 especially the contest between men and lions1 where naturally the muscles are strongly developed and show prominently4 ,as bearers of messages from that remote period1 they come more welcome to us than the fairest ,greek or ,roman intaglios4 ,with an interesting pictured and lettered cylinder in hand one may have before him one of the keys to the most ancient fountain-heads in which history is locked up4 ,my taste has grown and perhaps been influenced by long association with such gems1 until ,i now often find more pleasure in regarding a rude fragment of ,assyrian work than ,i did thirty years ago when ,i sought only the beautiful4 ,the place of these ,babylonian cylinders in the history of art cannot be classed as decorative1 for as they were originally used only as seals1 and mostly business or official signets1 they were not at that time used to decorate the person1 though they were worn on necklaces and bracelets by the ancient ,greeks4 ,no4 #dii in my collection is one of the most interesting because the great and lamented ,franois ,lenormant examined it with me1 wrote his opinion1 and expressed his admiration of it4 ,it is a ,babylonian cylinder1 #bi millimetres broad by #c millimetres in length4 ,on it is represented a seated god with a two-horned head-dress in a long flounced dress2 before him an altar with four spreading legs1 an antelope1 a small walking figure1 a scorpion1 two birds facing one another2 other human figures4 ,lenormant wrote while attending a seance of l',institut de ,france4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #adjc ,illustration3 #adje ,illustration3 #dih ,illustration3 #dii ,illustration3 #acgd ,,impressions ,,of ,,babylonian ,,cylinders4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 ,,assyrian4 #acff ,illustration3 ,,persian4 #adjb ,illustration3 ,,hittite4 #adja ,illustration3 ,,ph,,nician4 #die ,illustration3 ,,cyprian4 #acgj ,,impressions ,,of ,,assyrian1 ,,persian1 ,,hittite1 ,,ph,,nician1 ,,and ,,cyprian ,,cylinders4 8,this cylinder which appears to be of serpentine belongs incontestably to the most antique epoch of ,chaldean art of the first years of the ancient empire4 ,it is at least contemporaneous with those cylinders bearing the names of the oldest kings of d',ous and like those of the ,dungi40 ,persia and ,assyria furnish us also a beautiful series of seals2 the earlier conical1 then a series of spherical seals1 with one side flattened1 on which is the design and inscription1 and then the later ,sassanian1 also spherical1 yet more flattened on the sides1 which are pierced1 and whose circumferences are beautifully ornamented4 ,there exist a large series of subjects adopted by their owners on account of their superstitious belief in their talismanic virtues2 and quite a series of rudely-drawn animals emblematic of vigilance1 fidelity1 courage1 strength1 etc4 ,sometimes on seals as well as on cylinders a full-length figure is given in whose costume there is a marked peculiarity of drapery1 the folds crossing the form diagonally1 like a ,burmese ,sarong4 ,they are on a great variety of chalcedonies1 sards1 jaspers1 and other beautiful stones of color4 ,those of the ,assyrians1 dating as far back as #aaaj ,b4 ,c41 resemble in form the bells herdsmen hang upon their grazing cattle that they may hear them when they have strayed4 ,the location of the ancient ,persians in proximity to ,india1 whose river-beds were rich in varieties of hard water-worn pebbles1 enabled them to procure from thence suitable stones for decoration and for inscriptions4 ,thousands of these decorated and inscribed stones have been unearthed and are to-day in our possession2 glyptologists can and have read them4 ,many examples of these cylinders1 seals1 and their imprints are before you4 ,it is proven that the ,assyrians knew of and practiced the art of engraving on stone2 we are not fully convinced that they were the first to practice the art4 ,we are frequently able to corroborate glyptic inscriptions by statements in ,holy ,writ1 though we certainly find on ancient cylinders1 incisions many centuries anterior to the records to which we have here alluded4 ,we know little of the ,assyrian divinities through ancient manuscripts1 yet we have volumes about their deities written on the cylinders of ,babylon and ,nineveh4 ,they were seldom in metallic mountings1 but1 being pierced with holes1 were strung on cords and worn on the wrist and neck4 ,there is a host of occupants of the ,assyrian heaven1 with ,asshur the supreme god1 ,beltis ,mylitta the great mother1 etc42 and on the seals in sard and chalcedony we have sacred doves1 lions1 horses1 etc41 and a winged bull1 ,nin1 the god of hunting1 etc4 ,these intaglio seals were often used as locks2 the doors of wine-cellars were secured by placing a seal upon them4 ,cylinders have also been made by several races of ,south ,american ,indians1 and are still to be seen in ,brazil4 ,illustration3 ,,babylonian ,,cylinders1 ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,history4 ,we have a most interesting and instructive illustration of the value of modern research among the relics of antiquity in the fact that in #ahed1 ,sir ,henry ,rawlinson1 in deciphering the inscriptions on some cylinders found in the ruins of ,um-,kir 7the ancient ,ur of the ,chaldees71 made historical discoveries in regard to the last ,king of ,babylon that confirmed the truth of the book of ,daniel1 and harmonized discrepancies between ,holy ,scripture and profane history which up to that time had been hopelessly irreconcilable4 ,among the bequests from ,persia many gems are engraved on the hardest and most precious stones2 they present us with portraits of their monarchs1 deities1 legends1 religious creeds1 and seals of office4 ,though rude1 they are exceedingly interesting from their antiquity and as being the achievements of a people so remote from the ,european centre of civilization4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,the ,,etruscans--,,etruria4 ,the country of the ancient ,etruscans was north from the ,tiber to the ,ciminian ,forest and the ,tolfa ,mountains4 ,they have bequeathed us a mass of gems1 a large proportion in the form of ,scarabei1 and many really fine intaglios1 which were not only used as seals1 but served as decorations1 both in finger-rings and as brooches for women4 ,the ,etruscan tombs have yielded many ,scarabei in mountings of virgin gold1 sometimes the precious metal twisted1 again corrugated2 also some ornamental gold work as brooches4 ,the sard and chalcedony beetles usually had an engraved beaded margin1 and were revolvable1 being set on a pivot which was attached to a frame generally oval in form4 ,the ,etruscans1 unlike their predecessors1 have left us few examples other than the very gems and ,scarabei by which to study their glyptic work4 ,we have the decorations of their sepulchral homes2 we know of their costumes by their mural paintings in those subterranean chambers4 ,their glyptic style is unique2 a series of deeply-drilled cavities1 afterward joined to one another1 forming designs frequently contorted by the artist in his endeavor to bring his subject into the very limited space of the under face of the ,scarabeus4 ,illustration3 ,,etruscan4 ,the ,etruscans probably borrowed the idea of the ,scarabeus form of gem from the ,egyptians2 they certainly shaped it more beautifully4 ,they seem to have adopted only the symbol4 ,there was a difference in the quality of their ,scarabei corresponding with the classes or stations in the life of the people2 those cut for royalty1 nobility1 or the wealthy naturally received more attention in forming and finishing4 ,those for the tradespeople1 the well-to-do1 we find quite a distinctive order4 ,in this group they are less graceful in shape1 the beetles are rounder1 thicker1 and shorter1 not so carefully finished1 as also the simpler borders formed of two lines just within the edge1 either crossed with regular1 straight1 or oblique lines forming bars1 with some little variety of pattern4 ,the ,etruscans called themselves the ,rasenna2 the early ,italians knew them as the ,tusci or ,etrusci4 ,the ,greeks denominated the race as ,turrhenoi or ,tursenoi1 and the ancient ,latin name was ,tursci4 ,the engraved records of the ,etruscans have hitherto successfully defied all attempts at interpretation4 ,now that the ,assyrian and ,egyptian records have been read1 these ,etruscan inscriptions present the only considerable philological problem that still remains unsolved4 ,but that it remains unsolved has not been for want of effort4 ,a vast amount of ingenuity and of erudition has been wasted in attempts to explain the inscriptions by the aid of ,latin1 ,greek1 ,hebrew1 ,phnician1 ,arabic1 ,ethiopic1 ,chinese1 ,coptic1 and ,basque have all been tried in vain4 ,it may be safely affirmed that few of these attempts have been regarded as satisfactory by any person except their authors4 ,a comparison of the ,etruscan inscriptions with the characters of the ,finno-,turkic language1 a form of speech employed by those inhabiting the region lying between the ,ural and the ,altai ,mountains1 has1 ,i believe1 resulted with the first and only success that has ever attended such investigations4 ,illustration ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #edh ,illustration3 #edf ,illustration3 #eec ,illustration3 #eeh ,illustration3 #eee ,illustration3 #eed ,,ph,,nician ,,scarabei ,,and ,,intaglios4 ,,ph,,nicia4 ,alas1 we have to dig deep and toil to learn all we want to know so much about these people who #bejj years ago inhabited that narrow mountain-guarded strip of land looking westward on the same emerald sea that to-day breaks on the shore of what is now ,syria4 ,they have consigned us no books1 no pamphlets1 no journals1 not a page--only here and there do we unearth a graven stone1 an inscribed cylinder and ,scarabeus2 and with these stone fragments of that nation's literary bequests we will hope to obtain some idea of the history of ,phnicia--,phnicia1 whose people1 not content with mounting five thousand feet to the temple of the ,casian ,jupiter1 to see the sun upon the morning horizon1 floated away on their frail barks on the deep waters1 seeking light1 knowledge1 and gain4 ,mythology was their religion1 which1 like the subjects and styles of their engraved stones and gems of iridescent antique paste1 was borrowed from ,assyria1 ,greece1 and even somewhat from the myths of the people among whom many of them settled4 ,herodotus speaks of the ,phnicians as a branch of the ,semitic or ,araman nations2 they originally dwelt on the shores of the ,erythrean ,sea4 ,they also occupied islands in the ,persian ,gulf1 among others ,aradus and ,tylus1 where temples in ,phnician architecture were found2 and it is known that the ,phnicians left these islands and colonized in the gean and ,mediterranean ,seas before the time of ,joshua1 #addd ,b4 ,c4 ,of the ,romans and the ,grecians1 we have their history through the writings of their own historians2 and of the ,egyptians1 by their monuments teeming with hieroglyphics1 history1 and theology4 ,of the ,phnicians little is extant in writings from their own people2 we are dependent on what other nations have recorded--in fact1 what we know of them may be called tradition4 ,the ,phnicians were termed 8the merchants of many isles40 ,we can hardly say they cultivated the arts at home1 for wherever they went1 there they made their home2 on every island inhabited by them are found evidences of their industry as gem-cutters--intaglios1 scarabei1 and seals4 ,i remember how ,i was impressed on going ashore at ,syra and walking through its beautiful amphitheatral city of to-day1 whose site had once known those very ,phnicians1 examples of whose gems may be seen in my collection4 ,they emigrated as far west as ,sardinia4 ,sardinia was originally called ,sandaleotis1 from its form1 which resembles a human foot or its imprint1 where during centuries a moderate harvest has been reaped of gems emanating from their handiwork4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #ahaj ,illustration3 #agii ,illustration3 #ahje ,illustration3 #agie ,illustration3 #agif ,illustration3 #eai ,illustration3 #ahjj ,,ph,,nicia4 ,to a practised eye their work is distinguishable from that of other nations2 the touch1 drawing1 execution1 and the distinctive character of their subjects render them readily recognizable4 ,yet the symbolic characters are not entirely distinctive1 for they often clearly indicate imitation of ,assyrian and ,egyptian work and design4 ,for that reason it is often difficult to decide or classify gem-objects found in many of the islands once colonized by them1 from the very fact that in design they at times lack originality4 ,they were a migratory people1 and in this brief glance at the whole range of our subject we shall be satisfied with mention of their colony at ,tharros1 on the island at ,sardinia1 where the most unquestionably authentic ,phnician ,scarabei have been found in excavations made during the last sixty years4 ,they are principally cut on green jasper1 and in character resemble ,persian designs4 ,in these times we write our history every day on millions of great pages of white paper4 ,in almost no contingency will future generations have any difficulty of learning who we were1 where we came from1 how we have formed the master metal--iron--into thousands of implements and instruments1 or how they have been employed2 being supplied with our ready inscribed history1 they can begin where we have left off and profit by our experience4 ,illustration ,,greece4 ,the earliest specimens of ,greek gems bore traces of ,egyptian style2 they represented objects rather symbolically than by artistic delineation of the beautiful in the human form or in nature4 ,on the box of ,cypselus death was represented with crooked legs1 beauty and youth by long tresses of hair1 power by long hands1 swiftness and agility by long feet4 ,many of the oldest ,greek statues were accompanied with the names of the subjects represented1 which seems to imply that the artist was conscious of his deficiency1 both in character and expression4 ,yet in time they created single figures and groups in fair marble1 whose symmetry and exquisite modelling of the human form command the admiration of all4 ,they are either at rest or displaying the muscles1 sinews1 and even the passions of athletic men and adorable women4 ,greece was the source of the finest and richest glyptic art-treasures in a decorative sense4 ,grecian intaglios are of superb execution1 of exquisite fineness and finish4 ,this superiority can in a measure be accounted for by the encouragement the profession received from the nation1 both from rulers and from the people4 ,illustration3 ,,greek ,,and ,,roman ,,intaglio ,,rings4 ,in proportion to the extended cultivation of taste and the increased demand1 the ranks of the incisori were repleted4 ,among so many contestants rivalry and emulation had a very happy effect in forming and creating artists who were indeed eminent1 and whose works even to-day sparkle as jewel-gems in the diadem which crowns the history of their place in art4 ,the perfect finish1 polish1 and detail of their choicest examples render them superior to the gems of any other people1 even to many that come from ,roman sources4 ,it is often almost impossible intelligently to explain the difference between the gems of the ,greeks and the ,romans2 such power of distinguishing one from the other is only to be gained by long observation and close study of the subject4 ,many of them1 however1 seem to say to us whenever we meet them in exile1 8,we are of ,ancient ,greece1 ,grecians of the epoch and home of ,pericles the patron1 and ,phidias the practitioner40 ,we are reminded of these classic1 silent monuments when we meet and recognize the strictly glyptic work of the incisori of the land of the ,parthenon4 ,it is by comparison and contrast that we study and classify their gems4 ,beautiful stones have recently been discovered at ,mycen1 among which are engraved gems bearing effigies of animals curiously and artistically drawn1 and which1 by their ,oriental style1 prove that the ancient ,greeks1 who bequeathed so much to their successors1 also inherited art-models from a people #ajjj years ,b4 ,c4 ,at first the colonists incised what was known as the ,hellenic style1 and then1 as they fraternized with the ,romans1 and as the ,romans made incisions under the ,greek teaching1 their glyptic works showed the ,greek influence1 and such works constituted the gems of the ,grco-,romano4 ,many of the intaglios by ,romans1 of this school1 were signed in ,greek characters1 and can be seen in my collection4 ,this act of a ,roman signing his name in characters other than the ,latin letters peculiar to his own country shows how ,grecian art was appreciated in the ,grco-,roman epoch4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,,gr,,co-,,roman4 ,,roman4 ,the classic multitudinous gems of the ,roman period3 their emperors1 statesmen1 warriors1 and poets--in fact1 some of their gems have given to us the only perfect portraits in miniature that have been preserved from ancient time2 incidents of their conflicts1 their sports1 games1 and apparel--with the mass of chimeras and at times mysteries4 ,the endless grand historical cameos1 some of which in my collection represent nineteen and even twenty-two figures in good relief carefully engraved on a single stone4 ,we know that gem-engraving in ,rome in the prolific period was celebrated for the greatest diversity of subjects both in cameos and intaglios4 ,rome1 the patroness of the ancient world4 ,rome did not achieve this phenomenal position unaided1 though in its palmiest days it was the art shrine of the nations4 ,to attain this position it drew from comparatively distant sources1 and borrowed talent wherever it was available4 ,when ,rome's reputation as the glyptic school was heralded and established throughout the nations as the art centre of the world1 it became as we have inferred1 the vortex into which hosts of artisans were attracted1 and who1 when once there1 established themselves4 ,they were well received2 were elated with plenty of occupation1 emolument1 and good prices2 in their new life they identified themselves with their fellow incisori1 and became ,romans1 or1 at least1 ,grco-,romans4 ,in fact1 the variety in styles and designs produced by all the ancient peoples of ,italy was due to emigration4 ,profiting by the culture and art experience of ,etruria1 ,rome learned from the ,etruscan architects1 potters1 die-sinkers1 and gem-engravers4 ,they learned from these more ancient incisori many useful lessons which enabled them to accomplish wonders4 ,within the limited space available on those little gem stones1 they depicted with complicated minuteness details of events in actual history1 and displayed remarkable tact and astonishing powers of composition in their rendering of groups of figures and mythological deities in scenes of quasi historical events4 ,though we have seen the work of the ,grco-,romans bearing evidence of combined influence and instruction1 there was even at that very epoch a school1 or powerful class of artists1 in ,rome1 who retained their own individuality1 who were ,romans of ,rome1 and from whose hands1 and from their successors1 we have inherited grand cameos and intaglios1 portraying their emperors1 statesmen1 philosophers1 mythological subjects1 and occasionally groups recording important events in ,roman history4 ,considering we find ,roman glyptic work of merit until nearly the close of the second century ,a4 ,d41 there was in all a period of good gem-engraving covering about eight hundred years4 ,throughout all this time the glyptic art flourished under the protection of kings and emperors1 who for the general encouragement of the civilizing arts1 served their own interests and gratified their tastes for luxury and the beautiful by their constant patronage of gem-engraving4 ,illustration ,,abraxas4 ,the unique mystic gems of the ,gnostics1 known as the ,abraxas1 are a series by themselves2 they had no prototype4 ,their strangely decorated and inscribed stone tokens are so characteristic of the sect that they also are easily recognized4 ,the task of explaining the meaning of these incisions is the more difficult1 as the veil is almost impenetrable which obscures the history of everything that pertains to these little stone fetiches of the ,gnostics4 ,the very disciples who carried those amuletic gems did so without understanding the meaning of the marks and symbols engraved upon them4 ,they evidently were sacred types of their superstitious creed1 invented and placed there by their mentors or priests4 ,they were ,pagans1 ,jews1 and nominal ,christians1 and we find in their inexhaustible inscriptions a series of emblems1 ,hebrew and ,syriac1 which dimly show forth ,christ the ,son1 and ,sun of ,righteousness with 1 and the seven ,greek vowels symbolic of the seven heavens4 ,these ,greek vowels have often amused me when ,i have shown an ,abraxas talisman with long inscription to some ,greek scholar not acquainted with their gems1 who would stumble when he reached the other characters4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #egd obverse4 ,illustration3 #egd reverse4 ,illustration3 #efb obverse4 ,illustration3 #efb reverse4 ,illustration3 #efd obverse4 ,illustration3 #efi ,illustration3 #efd reverse4 ,illustration3 #egc obverse4 ,illustration3 #egc reverse4 ,,abraxas ,,or ,,gnostic ,,gems4 ,the religion of ,jesus ,christ was by no means established peaceably and immediately in the days following his crucifixion and resurrection4 ,by a close reading of several of the ,epistles of the ,new ,testament you will see that during the first and second centuries many were the beliefs and even schisms among those who thought that they believed in ,christ4 ,in the second ,epistle to the ,corinthians there is evidence that the learned doctors raised altar in opposition to altar4 ,none of them were avowedly reared by the ,gnostics1 yet the ,apostle ,paul recognized their opposition to the orthodox growing faith and combated them1 knowing that ,christianity at that critical moment was constantly losing adherents who1 through the sophistries of the ,abraxas1 were daily relinquishing their ardent hold on the new hope in ,christ4 ,undoubtedly this ,abraxas sect1 who made so many cabalistic talismans1 which were so blindly accepted and worn by their disciples1 had among them many who knew of our ,saviour4 ,it appears from history1 and from their mystic characters1 that they had a clearer appreciation of ,christ than a just or reasonable fear of the prince of the region of darkness1 as ,zoroaster termed the chief of inferno4 ,they derived their idea of ,satan1 the arch tempter1 from the appellation given him by certain sects in ,central ,asia1 where1 to better deceive their victims1 they spoke of him as an angel of light4 ,in modern times the lives of many men have proved that they had no desire to repulse ,satan1 but rather lived harmoniously in fellowship with him as their guide4 ,st4 ,paul besought the ,christians to guard well the precious truths revealed and confided to them1 and to fear and fly from the profane novelties that were threatening the welfare of their souls 7,i4 ,timothy1 vi74 ,in a word1 these great pagan monuments were the forerunners and the models of many of the small and portable talismans that were freely disseminated by the priests of the ,abraxas to their disciples and their followers4 ,one important fact must be understood4 ,the signs1 symbols1 the unintelligible hieroglyphs of the ,gnostics1 the ,basilidians1 which we find on the ,abraxas gems--almost all talismans--are the mystic representations of a sect thus made up of people of several nations1 all of whom in their aspirations sought for knowledge of the invisible power1 that unquestionably had created and who governed all things1 whom1 though unseen1 they served and feared4 ,illustration ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #efa obverse4 ,illustration3 #efa reverse4 ,illustration3 #adca ,illustration3 #efh obverse4 ,illustration3 #efh reverse4 ,illustration3 #efe ,,abraxas ,,or ,,gnostic ,,gems4 ,,early ,,christians4 ,the events narrated in the ,new ,testament of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ resulted in the drawing together of his followers1 who daily sought to worship their risen ,redeemer1 notwithstanding the terrible opposition of the heathen autocrats of ,rome4 ,very naturally in proportion to the imperial opposition the faithful became more fervent4 ,as they could not publicly meet for worship and prayer1 they were compelled to do so clandestinely4 ,now in order that only the faithful should enter1 and that the enemies might be detected1 a system of tesser was invented1 and soon these were made in the form of engraved pietradura2 the designs always were of the simplest character--a dove1 two or three fish1 two palms crossed1 etc41 and other religious gem-tokens2 this formed the glyptic epoch known as the ,early ,christian gems4 ,be it understood1 there was no representation of 8,god10 the 8,father10 or of 8,christ20 only simple symbols of the class already described2 symbols of their simple faith4 ,this was a period of glyptic work in which a series of gems were engraved by a people who pursued their avocation under peculiarly trying circumstances2 they were the 8,early ,christians40 ,the children born of those who had already espoused the new doctrine were taught with the first lessons of life to know1 to revere1 and to trust in the ,saviour2 with their earliest lisping words1 from the cradle they learned to plead in prayer for divine protection4 ,the earliest ,christians1 the first converts1 born in paganism1 had not the opportunities with which their offspring and descendants were favored2 they had to renounce the superstitions in which they had been reared1 and were often obliged to sever the friendly ties of youth4 ,these first enrolled with the followers of ,christ1 pagans1 whose convictions impelled them to accept the ,redeemer1 offered to their inquiring hearts1 commenced anew lives with many pagan prejudices and customs clinging to them4 ,some of them were incisori1 and it is interesting to observe among the comparatively few gems of this epoch the evidence of transition4 ,many of these gems unquestionably bearing some of the simpler ,christian decoration were still adorned with pagan designs4 ,on one we find ,astarte2 on others1 ,serapis1 ,mercury1 ,venus1 or ,apollo4 ,the divinity1 the loveliness of expression sometimes given to these transition portraits seem to have been the work of artists whose souls were imbued with the singular beauty of that ,divine ,man whom ,publius ,lentulus announced to the ,senate as 8the prophet of truth10 a man whose personal beauty excelled all human creatures--and yet the effigy really was of some pagan deity4 ,these gems1 however1 which were characterized by remnants of pagan decoration1 were only of the epoch immediately succeeding the institution of the sect of 8followers of ,christ10 and preceding the dawning struggle of the 8,early ,christians10 to establish their belief and to retain their rights as citizens4 ,they renounced the idolatrous religion of the nation1 and their glyptic work was generally typical of the purity and simplicity of their faith and their devotion to its observance4 ,illustration ,,byzantine4 ,one might naturally suppose that the gems of the early ,christians would abound in representations of scriptural events and incidents of the life of ,christ4 ,such was not the case2 these subjects were abundantly produced by the ,byzantines about the fifth century ,a4 ,d4 ,this can be accounted for from the fact that most of these subject-gems were engraved to decorate the sacred vessels and paraphernalia of the church altars in ,byzantium4 ,with ,constantine we find the ,byzantine epoch in its maturity4 ,with the simplicity of the early ,christians we have remarked that everything like representation of the ,godhead was eliminated or rather forbidden4 ,it was the ,byzantines who created for the gem market token cameos and intaglios on which were incised effigies of the ,holy ,family1 and incidents in every phase in that series of events that never has been equalled in historic interest in the records of time3 the birth1 life1 trial1 sufferings1 death1 and resurrection of the ,son of ,god4 ,elaborate details characterized the cameos picturing the triumphs of that ,christian emperor and the portraiture of his mother ,helena4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #ehi ,illustration3 #ehj ,illustration3 #eij ,illustration3 #egh ,illustration3 #ege ,,byzantine ,,christ4 ,the annunciation1 the visitation1 the birth in the manger1 the adoration of the wise men and the magi1 the bearing of the cross1 the crucifixion1 etc4 ,with the ,byzantine epoch we meet with the ,emperor ,constantine as we turn from the first period of decadence1 in fact1 almost demise1 of the art of the incisori4 ,the justice1 energy1 and enterprise of ,constantine showered benefits on all industrious men in the ,eastern ,roman world4 ,skilled workmen1 spared from the absorbing conflicts of war1 anew devoted themselves in peace to their mechanical avocations4 ,prosperity ruled and was assured to the people4 ,foremost among these artisans were the gem-engravers2 the demand for their glyptic productions1 and the amount produced1 was phenomenal4 ,the dignity of ,constantine's successful empire was sustained by a retinue of courtiers2 luxury characterized all the imperial decorations of his palace4 ,his willing subjects supplied his demands and gratified his refined tastes by zealously executing his liberal commands in all branches of art1 and especially in the art of gem-engraving1 which contributed largely to the court adornment4 ,recognizing the near relationship between gems and coins1 we here see that ,constantine1 shortly after he had established his empire in ,byzantium1 removed the pagan emblems from the coins of the empire1 and issued others on which he caused to be impressed the legend illustrating and recording the peculiar incident of his conversion2 to this was added a phnix1 emblematic of the renovation of his empire1 together with the monogram of ,christ1 and the ,angel of ,victory1 which in his vision had directed his course at the time of his conversion to ,christianity and triumph over the pagan enemy4 ,at the time of his baptism at ,nicomedia he clad himself in a white robe1 and from that time he never resumed the imperial purple4 ,this incident was also engraved1 and formed the subject of a design on a later coin4 ,the engravers employed by ,constantine were incisori of the highest rank of that period2 none others were in favor4 ,they executed portraits of his family1 of his wife ,fausta1 of his sons1 and of himself--in combat1 in bust1 on horseback1 in imperial power2 always laureated1 and principally on cameos1 very few intaglios being cut at this time4 ,several important examples have survived the rack and ruin of time1 and may be seen in the ,bibliothque ,nationale at ,paris1 the ,british ,museum at ,london1 the ,royal and ,imperial ,collections of ,vienna and ,st4 ,petersburg1 and in my collection4 ,these unique gems1 those commissioned by ,constantine1 however1 form a small proportion of the glyptic harvest from the ,byzantine period4 ,with ,constantine commences the series of scriptural cameos1 which continue during several years in ,byzantia4 ,the great number of cameos preserved from this epoch bearing scriptural subjects1 which were ordered and engraved for reliquaries and every description of vessels1 and for the adornment of altar book-bindings1 for church and cathedral ceremonies1 far exceeds in quantity those imperial portraits1 and to an appreciator of distinctive specialties in a representative art collection they are more interesting4 ,illustration3 ,,byzantine4 ,after a few heads of ,christ attributed to the ,sassanians1 we meet in the reign of ,constantine the first gem portraits of our ,saviour4 ,these sacred portraits1 even at times rudely rendered1 have often more divinity in them than many similar subjects of a later period4 ,the distinctive1 most characteristic1 ,byzantine gems are the large series of scriptural cameos1 designed in relief for the ornamentation of the sacred vessels and other paraphernalia on the altars of the churches at the ,byzantine capital4 ,illustration ,,medi,,val4 ,the era in the decline in art was sensibly marked in the glyptic branch4 ,the very rude and often grotesquely drawn designs we meet in this long period1 the ,middle ,ages1 may well be termed the dark days4 ,the eras of art in the history of nations have been marked by the same changing characteristics2 light has invariably been succeeded by darkness2 there are shadows ever following the bright rays of the sun4 ,this day of imagery and sculpture1 feeble at its dawn1 radiant in its morning1 powerful in the glory and effulgence of its meridian1 deteriorated as evening advanced1 faded in the twilight1 was at last veiled in the long period of decadence--the ,middle ,ages1 the night of art4 ,these people1 so credulous and so trusting in these token-stones1 by degrees formed themselves into groups1 at first of two or three1 with ties of pious friendship2 subsequently these associations gradually increased in the numbers of their adherents until the growing fanatic idea of closing one's eyes on the sinful world was the incentive which formed at first asylums1 and soon after monasteries2 and the monastic life became popular2 wavering men1 feeling themselves too weak to face the temptations of the world1 resorted to these holy retreats and there sought ,god4 ,few reasonable men can be truly happy without occupation1 and1 happily for us1 these recluses saw the importance and the historic interest of engraved gems4 ,many interesting intaglios were thus spared from loss and destruction4 ,the numerous orders of monks during this barbarous epoch collected all that possibly could be saved from the destroying avalanche1 and with great diligence transcribed on parchment types of the existing literature4 ,the laborers in the limited field of art in the ,middle ,ages were these dwellers in monasteries4 ,to them we are indebted for some rude fibres in the fabric with which this period of darkness is canopied2 they walked under it in the simplicity of monastic life2 and to us at least it conveys the lesson that man has forgotten so much1 knows so little1 and has so much to learn4 ,their intaglios were generally of a spiritual and devotional character1 though some of them relieved the tedium of cloister life by creating in basso-rilievo on bone and ivory the most ludicrous and mirth-provoking designs4 ,the subjects of the engraved gems of the eighth1 ninth1 tenth1 and eleventh centuries are to a great extent unmeaning figures and heads--portraits of unknown personages1 now and then reproductions of ancient ,roman emperors and military heroes of historic renown1 yet poorly rendered and bad in execution4 ,there are also many inexplicable subjects1 portraying groups of three four1 five1 and six figures1 evidently intended to commemorate events in history2 also mythological processions1 both in rude intaglios and equally mediocre cameos1 giving triumphs of ,silenus and ,bacchus1 portraying these heroes in forms1 the drawing of which would raise blushes on their cheeks could they return to earth and be allowed to criticise their effigies4 ,silenus1 even full of wine1 would have growled and remonstrated1 and would have pronounced some of them absurd misrepresentations2 they1 however1 are very interesting1 if only on account of their contrast with the examples of ,greek and ,roman glyptic art4 ,illustration ,in this epoch1 again1 we find instances of the sensitiveness of the numismatic branch of the art of gem-engraving1 for the models of all pieces of money are intaglios1 and thus far they are related to the glyptic art2 and it has always been the first industry giving evidence of a decline4 ,the view of these relics of cloister art convinces us that they of the dark ages did not contribute the truly beautiful4444 ,yet shadows pass 8with time and the hour40444 ,night is passing1 444 comes the gray1 444 comes the dawn1 444 comes the morning light4 ,creatures that at evening ceased their song1 tune now their pipes and sing again2 they chant anon the requiem of the ,night of ,art2 and yet anon1 they sing the coming of the light4 ,they celebrate at last1 with hope1 the renewing of all things beautiful in art4 ,the orb of day gilds the horizon2 man beholds the aurora of approaching day4 ,,renaissance4 ,in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries1 under the encouragement of the ,medici family1 skilled artisans again emigrated to ,italy as coadjutors in the great revival of all that was beautiful in gem-engraving4 ,they created1 for the glyptic phase of art1 a position almost as important as it had enjoyed in the first century ,a4 ,d4 ,it is not surprising that comparatively so few engraved gems have been handed down to us when we consider the tides of the last twenty centuries as a great sea which has borne to the shores of civilized ,europe1 and later to ,america1 specimens of ancient art creations--that sea1 at times placid1 yet ever and anon turbulent with devastating storms1 whose iconoclastic waves broke upon the ancient sites of antiquity1 destroying treasures that thus have been irreparably lost to archological science and to our museums4 ,as a child becomes restless with the consciousness of coming day before it fully wakes from sleep1 man1 weary of this night of ignorance and the atmosphere of barbarism--fretful on his couch under the yoke of tyranny1 striving to shake it off while yet enveloped by the shades of error1 rose up to seek an element he knew not1 a light he dreamed would come6 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #fbd ,illustration3 #fja ,illustration3 #fcd ,illustration3 #aceh ,illustration3 #fcb ,illustration3 #fba ,illustration3 #fca ,illustration3 #faf ,,renaissance-,,medici ,,period4 ,he burst the cords that bound his strength2 he pierced the clouds which dulled his vision1 and1 leaving his prison-house1 reached forth his fearless arm1 and pushing aside the sombre folds of the long intervening veil1 peered into the outer world of progress1 and in the gray gloom he descried a distant terrace4 ,with rapid strides1 through furrows of popular prejudice and cinders of past magnificence1 over crumbled arch and fallen pillar1 frieze1 and pediment1 he sped his way2 nor flagged nor halted1 till the summit reached1 he stood and gazed with earnest look out into the coming time2 he beheld in the vista before him many streams flowing into the sea of the future4 ,in the horizon gleamed again the omen of coming day2 it was the harbinger of a new birth4 ,the light of truth flashed upon his mind1 discovering to him his freed intellect4 ,unlike the denizens of the earlier age of luxury and repletion1 he stood a thinking man1 refreshed1 invigorated1 and ready for work2 and quickly he applied himself2 called forth his kinsman2 his voice was heard throughout the land2 men awoke everywhere and wrought in the ateliers of the new life4 ,through the air came strains as of music1 from creaking of timber1 cracking of stone1 the carol of the painter1 hammer and anvil1 plashing oar1 wheel and shaft1 mallet and chisel1 and with the new demand upon the gem-engravers came--the ,oratorio of the ,renaissance4 ,with this awakening came another influx of skilled artisans into ,italy1 not to compete1 as before1 in the great established art market of the world4 ,now they came in response to appeals for master-workmen1 came to instruct1 to encourage the new birth2 to lead the drowsy ones out into the full light of day1 the day of a rising constellation in which once more shone brilliantly a meritorious school of gem-engravers4 ,though ,germany1 ,france1 and other nations shared in the work1 ,italy guarded the cradle of the ,renaissance1 and as a faithful1 loving parent1 watched the developing features of the youth1 which grew apace1 reading there the promise of a growing power that was destined to lead future generations to excellence and prosperity in art4 ,italy accomplished the first great work of this period by furnishing models for both industrial and fine arts1 infusing vitality into other nations4 ,the influential families of the ,medici and ,farnese1 ,popes ,leo ,x4 and ,paul ,,iii41 many cardinals and nobles1 were instrumental in the revival of gem-engraving2 especially ,lorenzo de ,medici contributed to its redevelopment and growth by inducing artists to devote themselves to its practice and bestowing on them his liberal patronage4 ,the vigorous manner of artists of this period is so marked that even in the reproduction of antique designs a connoisseur can recognize their peculiar style4 ,their original works are highly meritorious1 attaining a great degree of excellence4 ,many rose to eminence2 some1 not content with rising in the firmanent of the dawning effulgence1 aspired to positions in the bright constellation of fame1 producing engraved gems for the ornamentation of costumes1 armor1 inlaying and embossing of vases1 tankards1 etc4 ,illustration ,,succeeding ,,declines ,,and ,,revivals4 ,constant encouragement was given to this branch of art-industry throughout the fifteenth and part of the sixteenth century2 but after the death of the ,emperor ,charles ,v41 in #aeeh1 recurred another period of decline4 ,private and royal accumulations of art works were again the victims of depredation2 cabinets and museums were pillaged and scattered by military marauders1 as one after another the great cities of the ,continent of ,europe were besieged and conquered4 ,the glyptic1 of all the arts1 was the most easily affected by the changing fortunes of nations4 ,these circumstances compelled artists to give their attention more particularly to church architecture1 to the production of large devotional basso-rilievos for the altar1 and sculptured figures1 which1 though representing sacred subjects1 were often too voluptuous in form1 and lacking the essential qualities of true art4 ,in the last twenty years of the eighteenth century gem-engraving received fresh impetus2 new practitioners were enrolled from ,germany1 ,england1 and ,france4 ,some of these resided many years in ,england1 pursuing their profession assiduously and profitably4 ,in this period quantities of intaglios and cameos were reproduced from the most salable antique subjects4 ,to supply the wants of enthusiastic amateurs frauds were freely committed1 by close imitation1 and the insertion of signatures of celebrated ,greek and ,roman engravers1 though the age produced artists of the highest ability and honor4 ,the works of ,natter1 ,sirletti1 ,pickler1 ,marchand1 ,pistrucci1 ,santarelli1 and others come to us so directly from their hands that we feel they almost belong to our day1 and we think of them as of acquaintances4 ,illustration ,many of the gems of ,giovanni ,pickler compare favorably with the finest incisions of the ,greek1 and even with the work of the renowned ,dioscorides4 ,during the latter part of the eighteenth century and the commencement of the nineteenth1 monarchs and noblemen indulged in making collections of gems to such an extent that the list of patrons increased competition1 and fabulous prices were obtained from such buyers as the ,empress ,catherine ,,ii4 of ,russia1 the ,prince ,frederick of ,prussia1 the ,duke of ,orleans1 ,george ,,iii41 the ,empress ,josephine of ,france1 and many of the ,english nobility1 among others the ,dukes of ,devonshire and ,marlborough4 ,almost until now no plea has been offered for glyptology as a factor contributing historical data4 ,the mass of scientists have been contented with musty old volumes1 and these little message-bearing stones have been regarded as nothing more than curious ancient articles of luxury1 yet you will remark we do not look on them in that light2 we recognize1 as we justly should1 each and every piece as part of a great story1 recording and illustrating many epochs and eras in this world's history1 and patiently we have been seeking to replace each fragment into its proper place in the inscribed diagram1 until we are convinced that we read thereon many things that no manuscripts or books have communicated to us4 ,,some ,,types ,,of ,,remarkable ,,gems4 ,my entire collection in the ,free ,museum of ,science and ,art of the ,university of ,pennsylvania must be examined to see types of all these epochs4 ,it may be well to notice here three or four very remarkable gems of which monographs have also been published4 ,,bacchus ,,and ,,ariadne4 ,ariadne is seated on the rocks of ,dia1 where ,bacchus found her2 at her feet is her panther4 ,bacchus bears in his hand a thrysus2 his javelin with its point in the form of a pine cone2 his head wreathed with ivy and grape leaves2 his hand lovingly placed on sad ,ariadne's shoulder1 who has just been deserted by ,theseus4 ,bacchus1 deeply in love 7which is indicated by the figure of ,cupid71 says to her1 8,i shall care for thee40 ,the panther at the feet of ,ariadne is emblematic of the principal and most important incident in her life1 her love for ,theseus4 ,ariadne was the daughter of ,minos1 ,king of ,crete4 ,she fell in love with ,theseus when he went as one of the seven youths whom the ,athenians were obliged to send every year with seven maidens to ,crete to be devoured by the ,minotaur4 ,ariadne provided ,theseus with a sword with which he slew the ,minotaur1 and with a thread which enabled him to find his way out of the labyrinth2 they then fled to the island of ,naxos 7,dia71 where ,theseus1 warned by a god in a dream1 deserted her4 ,bacchus arrived opportunely from ,india1 finding ,ariadne in a state of grief and consternation1 which even added to her charming beauty2 he quenched her tears1 consoled her1 and took her to himself4 ,this exquisite gem is a fine representation of ,renaissance work 7see plate on p4 #ha74 ,,jupiter ,,giochus4 ,among examples of antique glyptic art1 by referring to my late work on 8,engraved ,gems3 ,their ,place in the ,history of ,art10 you will find an extended notice of the superb ancient cameo on chrysoprase of ,jupiter giochus4 ,it is the eighth of importance in the remarkable antique cameos that have been preserved from the early centuries after ,christ4 ,it is of remarkable dimensions1 being #afg millimetres in height by #acj millimetres in breadth4 ,it is of the close of the epoch of ,marcus ,aurelius or the earlier years of the reign of ,commodus4 ,the style is that of the ,grco-,roman art4 ,the work is very beautiful for that epoch1 and there rests in this head of the master of the gods an accent of grandeur in which one feels the reflection of the original ,greek of the better centuries1 imitated here by the engraver of the ,grco-,roman age4 ,illustration3 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,,jupiter ,,giochus4 ,it is an interesting circumstance1 which merits particular attention1 that the cameo ,zulian coming from ,ephesus and this ,jupiter giochus are certainly of the workmanship of ,asia ,minor4 ,early in this century this cameo made part of the celebrated ,northwick ,collection of ,england4 ,afterwards it was acquired by a wealthy connoisseur in ,france1 and later passed into the possession of ,m4 ,feuardent1 ,paris1 when1 with his permission1 an engraving of it appeared1 with five quarto pages of text and notes1 in the ,gazette ,archologique1 ,paris1 #ahgg1 edited by ,baron ,j4 ,de ,witte1 ,membre de l',institut and ,franois ,lenormant4 ,m4 ,adrien ,longperier1 the distinguished glyptologist and savant of the ,institut de ,france1 some thirty years ago made a study of this gem1 and seriously contemplated its acquisition for ,france2 he urged the ,french ,government to authorize its purchase for the collection in the ,salle des ,pierres graves in the ,bibliothque ,nationale1 ,paris1 or for the ,museum of the ,louvre4 ,several other museums also negotiated for its purchase1 but the late owner being firm in his demand1 the price caused them to delay1 and now it belongs to ,america1 being part of my collection4 ,,the ,,triumph ,,of ,,constantine4 ,among the most important and interesting antique gems in my collection is one engraved when ,constantine held the ,roman ,empire in ,byzantia1 which came into the possession of the ,court of ,russia4 ,the ,empress ,catherine ,,ii41 wishing to confer a great favor and special reward on an ambassador to her court from her remarkable collection in the ,museum of the ,hermitage at ,st4 ,petersburg1 presented this antique gem to him in #aghe4 ,twenty-five years afterwards1 at his death in ,greece1 it was sold1 and was piously guarded during thirty years by a collector in the ,hellenic peninsula4 ,after that it became the property of ,bieler in ,styria4 ,i came into possession of this remarkable gem after more than five years' negotiations with its owner1 and subsequently with his heirs4 ,it is a cameo of great importance in itself4 ,prof4 ,c4 ,w4 ,king1 of ,trinity ,college1 ,cambridge1 ,england1 said1 8,it is by far the most important of all similar works of the ,lower ,empire hitherto published40 ,it is of very considerable dimensions 7#f #d inches71 being the eleventh in point of magnitude of those already existing in any cabinet4 ,it is a maculated sard1 dark-reddish amber color1 with slight white1 dark sepia1 and burnt sienna spots or maculation4 ,the subject is a ,triumph of ,constantine4 ,this portrait of that ,byzantine ,emperor is considered very faithful4 ,as ,i have often remarked in connection with the numismatic phase of my subject1 we can in this case establish the likeness of ,constantine by confronting it with the fine gold coins of his realm and reign4 ,illustration ,among the auxiliary figures on the gem is ,constantine's mother ,helena1 she who found the true cross2 also ,crispus his son1 and his wife ,fausta4 ,the ,emperor is being crowned by a ,victory1 who stands behind him borne in a triumphal car1 the four horses walking and led by a soldier in front4 ,constantine holds the reins in his left hand1 but in his right a roll of paper 7volumen71 instead of the customary eagle-tipped sceptre4 ,in the front of the group is a standard inscribed 8,s4 ,p4 ,q4 ,r410 the bearer of the staff being concealed by the horses of the car2 as are also the lictors1 whose fasces are seen elevated in the air above the horses' backs1 in the upper field of the composition4 ,behind the car stands ,crispus and ,fausta1 both in front face2 ,crispus is pointing to the labarum1 and evidently relating to ,fausta all the circumstances of its introduction into the scene4 ,at the opposite end of the gem stands ,helena1 who1 with the soldier leading the quadriga1 forms a balance to the other pair4 ,much labor and skill have been expended by the artist upon the face of the triumphing ,csar1 in order to leave no doubt as to his identity1 and with such success that the well-known ,augustus-like profile of ,constantine may be recognized at the first glance4 ,,religion ,,on ,,stones4 ,we have found here unquestionably information not to be obtained from any other source4 ,if ancient engraved stones had never been unearthed or found1 we would have been ignorant to-day of much that is interesting and important concerning the historic chain which now connects us with the traditions of men in the incipiency of art thousands of years before the era of manuscripts4 ,we hold and esteem the ,holy ,bible not only as our guide and as the book of ,god's laws1 but also as one of the most perfect compends of the history of the world from all known time4 ,the earliest mention of the profession of gem-cutting is in the thirty-first chapter of ,exodus1 from the first to the fifth verse1 inclusive3 8,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ,see1 ,i have called by name ,bezaleel the son of ,uri1 the son of ,hur1 of the tribe of ,judah3 and ,i have filled him with the spirit of ,god1 in wisdom1 and in understanding1 and in knowledge1 and in all manner of workmanship1 to devise cunning works1 to work in gold1 and in silver1 and in brass1 and in cutting of stones1 to set them10 etc41 8and to work in all manner of workmanship40 ,this commission was for the ,jews to adorn the ark of the testimony and to attach to the ,esod a part of the vestiture of the grand sacerdotal of the ,israelites4 ,our observation of this branch of art has been strictly in accordance with our intended plan4 ,we have regarded almost solely all these beautiful stones in the light of art1 with a view of considering their comparative art-merits2 yet ,i have always seen in their history another and somewhat important phase1 to me an interesting one3 that is1 their connection with the traditions1 legends1 and annals of religion4 ,we find on them tenets of paganism1 mysticism1 mythology1 and the ,christian religion--symbols1 dogmas1 and pictured revelations of creeds of many nations and of people almost otherwise unknown--what may indeed be classified as religious stone-literature4 ,skilful utilization of the colored strata and maculation of onyxes and agates depict fire and water as objects of adoration2 altars rendered sacred by their inscriptions1 each with its patron god upon it or hovering near2 characters there inscribed telling to whose service they were dedicated--now to a supreme being beloved1 though absent2 again1 to a deity adored1 though unseen4 ,every tribe seems to have had a ,father above1 though we do not meet with the vague superscription1 8,to the unknown ,god40 ,on every side objects of veneration3 the heavens2 innumerable mention of deities dwelling therein2 plenteous aspirations and appeals to their clemency1 forbearance1 and protection4 ,these talismanic gems1 whenever they are religiously inscribed1 ,i treasure as tablets of faith--a faith which1 though often erroneously placed1 was fervent and abiding as it was indelibly registered4 ,rambling in many strange countries1 seeing palaces1 costumes1 men1 and manners1 this subject1 paramount to them all1 has often received my attention--a theme the most precious to the scattered races of the human family1 their religion4 ,it is worthy of remark that so large a proportion of the intaglios and seals were of a religious character4 ,the ancient residents near the sea and on all the frontier of ,asia ,minor had their religious token-gems4 ,in this day of enlightenment naturally we are astonished that men could have believed in these gods or in such theories and dogmas1 and expressing astonishment that they could have trusted in these talismans or hoped for benefits from them4 ,we wonder at the absurd codes of mythological religion2 yes1 let us call it so2 that is what it was for these people2 they knew not our ,god1 they had never heard of our divine ,master4 ,until the revelation of ,christ to us1 man naturally had to look somewhere for refuge for his soul2 he had to cling to some unseen hand1 lest he should fall4 ,do we often realize what modern ,christianity is8 ,these pagans1 of whose religions we have so many little stone monuments1 were all anterior to and existed during ages before that revelation4 ,christians of to-day1 reflect3 all these heathen1 as you no doubt esteem them1 were earnest in the performance of their duties1 their prayers1 their adoration1 and their sacrifices--many of them more devout than some of us under the light of the twentieth century4 ,true1 these religions were the inventions of men1 the outcome of the longings and yearnings of sympathetic men for a superior guiding and protecting power--,deity1 if you will allow it--to which to turn and in which to hope4 ,they worshipped faithfully1 adored sincerely1 obeyed implicitly1 lived simple lives1 in keeping with their primitive faith4 ,was it not reasonable1 this worship of a people who had no divine revelation8 ,was it not beautiful8 ,can you not even now see something to admire in devotional exercises held in ,god's open air1 turning in adoration myriads of earnest eyes upon the ,sun1 8the beauty and the glory of the day10 devoutly praising from the heart the majesty and the power of the ,supreme ,being1 the ,maker and the ,ruler of this benign light8 ,their principal fte1 on which they all assembled joyfully and gratefully to bow before the glorious orb1 was on the same day we have accepted as the anniversary of the birth of ,christ our ,redeemer4 ,and so it was with those who venerated and carried engraved emblems of those incomprehensible elements1 ,fire and ,water4 ,as symbolic of the inscrutable power the ,parsees keep a flame constantly burning upon an altar in the inner temple2 so sacred is it that only the higher priests set apart for that service can enter therein2 yet through their mediation thousands participate in the ceremony and enjoy the consolation of its power--a force of terrible destructibility1 yet with the genial phase which comforts and contributes to the nourishment of man4 ,this form of worship originated in ,persia1 and when its disciples emigrated and distributed themselves throughout many countries and islands of ,india and the shores of the neighboring seas1 they carefully carried the sacred fire with them2 and it is believed it has never ceased to burn during many centuries4 ,red and spotted maculation in agates have been utilized by incisori to represent the flame of an altar fire4 ,even to this day many of these objects in stone are treasured and valued by men and women in secluded villages in the ,east2 they hold and guard them as religious heirlooms4 ,i have bartered with them successfully1 and have bought their bracelets1 finger-rings1 and nose-rings2 yet so highly have these sacred talismans been esteemed that those which ,i most desired have rarely and only with difficulty been obtained from their superstitious possessors4 ,in the two or three centuries succeeding the advent of ,christ the ,abraxas flourished and engraved the mass of religious mystic talismans 7already described in their place in this book74 ,their priests or pastors1 in the term accepted by us1 prepared these amulets1 engraving upon them attributes and symbols of the ,most ,high2 they taught their followers to wear them close to their hearts1 these reminders of their heavenly ,father1 these rude glyptic lights that kept them nearer to ,god4 ,i do not1 cannot1 find it absurd4 ,when you have considered this subject as now presented1 you will perhaps view with new interest these devotional tokens1 after many years of travel and research brought together and classified in my cabinet4 ,illustration ,,historic ,,cameos4 ,a large class of ancient seems were historical4 ,in my collection may be found a series of cameos1 all works of the most able artists of the epoch of ,trajan1 which are now esteemed in ,rome as works of the highest merit4 ,they portray the pleasures of the hunting expeditions1 the wars1 and other incidents in the life of ,trajan and ,titus ,vespasianus4 ,these cameos were the subjects of the basso-rilievos which ornamented a triumphal arch erected in honor of ,trajan4 ,in the reign of the ,emperor ,constantine the ,romans despoiled this monument of all these subjects tributary to ,trajan1 and adorned with them the arch which they then built for ,constantine4 ,it was said in those days no emperor had ever equalled ,constantine in building up the ,empire1 and therefore they did not hesitate to dismantle a monument of his predecessor4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3#acdg ,illustration3#acdh ,,historical ,,cameos4 ,an interesting historic cameo is ,coriolanus visited by his mother ,veturia and his wife ,volumnia4 ,his original name was ,marcius1 but on account of his valor in a contest against the ,volscians he was surnamed ,coriolanus4 ,in the time of a famine he was impeached for his opinions in regard to the distribution of corn received from ,sicily2 he was condemned to exile4 ,he now went over to the ,volscians1 and became general of their army1 and successfully attacked the ,romans2 they1 fearing him1 made advances to him and offered the restoration of all his property and franchises2 he resisted all their propositions4 ,it was not until his mother and wife came to him that he could be induced to relent2 their prayers and tears1 however1 moved him2 he then retired with his army1 but passed the remainder of his life with the ,volscians1 who had honored him for his valor and not from fear4 ,the guard with a shield at the right is a ,volscian1 and he at the left is a ,roman4 ,illustration ,observe in my collection an allocution of ,marcus ,aurelius before the ,prtorian ,guard3 the guard are not only known by their costume1 but by the banner which is marked ,s4 ,c4 7,senatus ,consultum74 ,no incidents in ancient history are more interesting or more dramatic than the episodes in the life and career of fair ,cleopatra2 one of the most vivid to my fancy's recollection is the scene of her fatal giving up of that romantic life as depicted on a beautiful turquoise cameo--,no4 #cdf4 ,it is well understood that many of the cameos concerning ,christ are truly historical4 ,there is also ,horatius defending the bridge4 ,the bridge was on the ,tiber at ,rome2 ,horatius was fighting the ,etruscans2 the ,romans were obliged to destroy their end of the bridge1 when ,horatius with his horse swam back4 ,true1 we have history through classic ,latin sources of the most important events of the first and second centuries4 ,yet these portraitures on stone1 executed in the very epochs1 add certainly great interest to the records of these times4 ,the subjects on stone alluded to1 mirror to us more faithfully1 more vividly1 scenes in the lives of several ,roman emperors than any manuscript possibly could have done4 ,we have ,trajan as emperor1 judge1 and warrior4 ,we see him engaged in conflict1 we admire him victorious1 we rejoice in his happy return to ,rome on several occasions2 in his triumphant reception both by the people and the army1 and in the arches erected as souvenirs of his prowess2 in his dignified reception of the son of the ,king of the ,armenians1 and in his condescension in restoring their kingdom2 in several of his expeditions against the ,dacians1 and in his happy escape from the plot of ,decebalus4 ,we have instances of his public charities delicately depicted in cameo2 his religious sacrifices2 his exploits as a hunter of many wild animals1 the boar and the lion included1 are exemplified4 ,we have several beautiful groups with emperors delivering allocutions before the cohorts of their armies1 senators1 and other dignitaries2 the triumphant entry of ,titus ,vespasianus into ,jerusalem1 whereon twenty-two figures are visible1 and the exit from ,jerusalem of his victorious army1 on which nineteen figures are seen2 also the groups of ,jewish prisoners4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #acci ,illustration3 #acej ,illustration3 #acea ,illustration3 #acdi ,,historical ,,cameos4 ,all these pages in my stone book are certainly interesting additions to ancient history4 ,,animals ,,and ,,birds4 ,we have seen how large a proportion of the subjects on ancient gems were mythological1 how extended was the class of religious and of ,christian subjects2 we have noted the loved portraits of sovereigns1 statesmen1 philosophers1 physicians1 and poets4 ,there remains a series worthy of notice--those intaglios and cameos worn as amulets on which were engraved innumerable animals1 birds1 fishes1 and even insects4 ,as the families of the nobility chose the insignia which entered into the quarterings of their escutcheons1 so the ancients according to their superstitions or their tastes chose some patron animal or bird for an emblem and caused it to be engraved on their talismans2 and these symbols were cherished with what might almost be termed religious fervency4 ,they were used as amulets1 supposed to protect the wearers against accident and to repel danger4 ,there was almost a pharmacopia of gems1 with solace for every trouble of mind and a remedy for every disease4 ,a dolphin1 the mariner's friend1 on sard or carnelian1 was an emblem worn by fishermen1 and was believed to protect them from the attacks of sharks or other voracious fishes4 ,they also carried with equal reliance the same design in antique paste4 ,the eagle of ,jupiter is symbolic of his power1 although it was subservient to him4 ,this no doubt accounts for its appropriation in heraldry by sovereigns4 ,the raven1 the friend of ,apollo2 the parrot1 a loquacious inebriate1 is often an attendant on ,bacchus4 ,the aringa1 a fish of the ,adriatic ,sea1 represented on a talisman in my collection1 was worn by women on account of its being the symbol of fruitfulness2 it deposits many thousand eggs each year4 ,certain insects1 arachnids1 and reptiles were employed as symbols1 because they were supposed to protect man in each case from the enemy thereon delineated4 ,a scorpion on a transparent stone was an amulet against the sting of the arachnid4 ,as the scorpion inflicts a painful sting1 the spider a venomous bite1 and a variety of flies make dangerous aggression on the human form1 their images engraved on stones were believed to shield the wearer from the ills due to attacks from corresponding insects4 ,one of the most minute insects employed as a talisman is the ant1 symbolic of industry4 ,the peacock frequently appears on gems2 naturally1 no one would have had it as an emblem of vanity1 in which sense it is generally accepted in modern times1 but it was revered as the favorite of ,juno4 ,the owl3 ,minerva's head is at times draped with an owl2 its connection with ,minerva is that it is symbolic of profound meditation4 ,beautiful storks occur frequently on engraved gems3 they were so abundant in ,asia ,minor and in the ,byzantine ,empire that husbandmen sought to frighten them away2 yet in other lands they were almost adored4 ,in modern ,fnen1 and generally in ,scandinavia1 storks building their nests on the roofs of houses in the country are welcomed as bringing children for the household1 and are cared for with a credulity equalling pagan superstition4 ,the frog has sometimes found a place in ,christian symbolism as the most expressive image of the resurrection of the body1 because frogs1 like the serpents after their winter interment1 emerge from their hiding-places and renew their youth by casting their slough4 ,many farm and house companions figure in the series3 a dog1 fidelity2 a cock1 vigilance2 a turtle1 always at home2 a snail1 there is no hurry2 a sheep1 humility2 a lamb1 innocence2 a horse1 patience and endurance2 a dove1 harmless1 the ,holy ,spirit2 a lion1 majesty and force2 a serpent1 wisdom1 and1 with its tail in mouth1 eternity2 a serpent was often represented on the stone above the fireplace in ,roman kitchens2 a ram was significant of the ,nundine sacrifices made weekly to ,jupiter2 a lion and a goat driven by ,cupid1 the power of love3 he guides not only the lascivious1 but the strong4 ,illustration ,,antique ,,pastes4 ,the ,antique ,pastes are interesting from the fact that they present us with many curious mythological subjects not always to be found on semi-precious stones4 ,they are specimens of a branch of early ,roman industry4 ,they were made in imitation of ,oriental stones1 of which the supply was inadequate for the great demand of the first and second centuries ,a4 ,d41 and also as a matter of economy4 ,often in ancient times a quantity of fragments of hard semi-precious pebbles too small to be engraved were pulverized1 and the sand or granulated mass was fused in crucibles just as glass is made4 ,this process enabled many lovers of the art to possess examples in this cheaper artificial substance when the same subjects on real ,india stones were commanding exorbitant prices4 ,some of these gems are beautifully opalescent and iridescent4 ,this iridescence1 though so beautiful on the specimens of that kind1 is only owing to chemical action on the paste gems during the centuries they have been buried in the earth4 ,interesting intaglios and cameos in enamel have withstood the wear of ages1 and are in better condition2 the imitations of red jasper are wonderful4 ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #aahc ,illustration3 #abdd ,illustration3 #abhh ,,antique ,,pastes4 ,many intaglios in antique paste are representations in designs of ancient bronzes1 of which we have no other trace except their mention by early historians4 ,the most precious antique example in paste is the ,portland ,vase4 ,it was discovered in the sixteenth century in a sarcophagus within the monument of the ,emperor ,alexander ,severus and his mother1 ,julia ,mama1 on the ,frascati road1 about two miles and a half from ,rome4 ,it was long known as the ,barberini ,vase1 having belonged to that family in ,rome for two hundred years2 thence it came to ,england in the last century1 and after twice changing ownership1 at the death of the ,duchess of ,portland1 from whom it takes its name1 it was sold to the ,duke of ,marlborough1 and is now in the ,british ,museum4 ,it has been broken and mended4 ,it is about ten inches high1 and at the broadest part six inches in diameter4 ,it was formed of paste1 and afterward engraved4 ,the paste is in imitation of onyx1 in two strata1 white upon blue1 of an amethyst tinge2 the figures are cut in relief on the lighter color1 the blue forming the second plane or background4 ,though the antique paste cameos and intaglios are largely reproductions of subjects also found engraved on pietradura1 we are indebted to this class of gems for many examples of ancient cameos and intaglios which we would otherwise never have seen2 in fact1 from the rare beauty of some specimens in paste1 they never could have existed in any other material4 ,not only do both intaglios and cameos in antique paste present us with the choicest examples of miniature art1 but the iridescence created on them by time frequently renders them the most beautiful specimens in a collection4 ,illustration ,,mythological4 ,through the possession of these ,pagan cameos and intaglios we have become heirs to the most thorough knowledge of ,mythology4 ,hundreds of distinct specimens may be gathered from glyptic work centuries before ,christ1 and so arranged as to form several genealogical trees4 ,in ,mythology there is not one single ancestor of all1 as in the biblical history1 where ,adam is honored with being our original and only progenitor and equally censured with being the testator of our legacy of all human ills4 ,the myriad bigamist ancestors of the countless mythological beings pictured on ancient gems have created and bequeathed to us numerous families of celestial and terrestrial divinities1 denizens of earth1 air1 and water1 and hundreds of grotesque chimeras4 ,like the royal families of our sphere1 there was much intermarriage of close relatives1 many of their offspring bearing at times the forms of animals1 birds1 and anon reptiles4 ,some of their descendants were even metamorphosed in those tropical climes into trees1 under the cooling umbrage of which other scions were born and commenced their adventurous career4 ,these poetical conceptions were the mythological forerunners of the simpler1 purer1 diviner religion which was eventually given to man4 ,a close observer may find in these legendary myths antetypes of the omnipotent ,godhead now revealed to us and in which is our sure hope and trust4 ,illustration ,,chinese1 ,,burmese1 ,,and ,,siamese4 ,the ,chinese are the only race producing glyptic work in relief on hard ,jade1 and also on stones resembling it--in which one is easily deceived4 ,they are said to be good copyists3 all designs given to them for reproduction are copied very closely1 but in what we find on engraved stones there is the type of their nationality2 it resembles nothing else4 ,their work is mostly in very low relief1 on ,nacre1 ,jade1 ,amethyst1 and ,agalmatolite4 ,their pictured stones generally represent hideous animals1 birds1 fruits1 and views of paradise with figures of grotesque divinities4 ,their inscriptions are not deeply incised1 but are usually letters or characters in their language in relief4 ,the exquisitely beautiful details often exhibited by the ,chinese are surprising1 especially when we consider the hardness of the ,jade1 the material principally employed by them4 ,what patience it must have required to cut those ornaments in ,jade which we find on their scepters and on the handles of their official swords6 ,many pieces which are shown in museums have cost years of laborious engraving4 ,jade has therefore been esteemed by the ,chinese as emblematic of all virtue4 ,in this connection it may be remarked that the ,burmese and the ,siamese have seldom engraved on any stones harder than ,alabaster or ,agalmatolite 7,chinese figure stone74 ,their subjects principally represent ,buddha2 occasionally his two feet2 their emblematic flowers1 and their deeply-revered sacred ,bdhi-tree at ,gaya4 ,illustration ,,sommerville ,,collection4 ,illustration3 #fei ,,aztec4 ,,aztec ,,or ,,mexican4 ,the ,american ,continent has contributed some unique work executed by the ,aztecs anterior to the ,spanish conquest of ,mexico4 ,among the existing glyptic relics of nations we find no examples of execution in stone-engraving more peculiar than what has been preserved of the work of the ,aztecs or ,mexicans1 especially that done before the occupation by ,pizarro4 ,the character of their work is so crude and distinct that no close observer can for a moment be mistaken in detecting its origin4 ,i have met with ,aztec engraved stones among a miscellaneous collection offered to me for selection2 there was that quality which enables a connoisseur to recognize the class of ornamentation doubtless worn by that people whom ,prescott represented as decorated principally by gold1 silver1 and feathers4 ,large pieces1 cameos of two and a half to three inches1 have been found which were worn by the ,incas as breast ornaments1 and are always pierced1 which shows that they were suspended from the neck4 ,in fact1 some of the most faithful representations of costume1 head-dress1 and weapons are in basso-rilievo engraved stones in opaque white ,alabaster and pale-green hard ,nephrite4 ,illustration ,,retrospective4 ,we have much to enjoy as we survey the gems of the various epochs4 ,the multifarious types that have been gathered in forty centuries meet our view1 grouped in the tableau of engraved gems4 ,our attention is drawn with interest to each sentiment expressed1 feature defined1 or emotion portrayed4 ,we study the diversified qualities--the fineness or freedom of touch1 ingenious effects1 delicate lines1 choice attitudes1 graceful forms1 force1 spirit1 and tenderness--which characterize these monuments of patience4 ,the engraved gems rescued from the torrent1 ebbing and flowing with the fluctuating fortunes of ages1 garnered by successive generations1 enrich the traditional viaduct traversing the morass of many centuries4 ,some blocks are less beautiful than others in the structure1 but from them we have founded our first footholds1 and from them we mount to the work that embellishes the great ,etruscan arches even when we revel on the finely pencilled coping-stones of the ,greek and ,roman epochs1 or admire the ornate abutments of the ,renaissance1 we should revert with pleasure to the earlier1 ruder contributions in the foundations1 and we can find pleasure in viewing and studying every part4 ,the builder's stones are graven--the footway is of pictured pebbles1 miniatures1 amulets1 and seals1 reflecting lineaments and traces of the history of entombed generations4 ,their inscriptions reveal to us the impress of ancient1 medival1 and modern art4 ,illustration ,,index4 ,abraxas or ,gnostics1 #eh-fb1 #ajb ,talismans1 #eh1 #ajb ,agalmatolite1 #abc ,amethyst1 #abc ,amulets1 #aab ,animals and ,birds1 #aab-aae ,ant1 the1 as a talisman1 the most minute1 #aac ,antique ,pastes1 #aaf-abj ,apollo1 #ff ,aringa1 the1 a fish of the ,adriatic ,sea1 #aac ,ashurna ,sirbal1 ,king of ,assyria1 palace of1 #bb ,asshur 7,assyrian71 ,supreme ,god1 #cb ,assyrian ,records1 #ci ,astarte1 #ff ,aztec or ,mexican1 #abg-abh ,bacchus and ,ariadne1 #hi-ij ,basilidians1 #fb ,beltis ,mylitta 7,assyrian71 the ,great ,mother1 #cb ,bibliothque ,nationale1 ,paris1 #gb ,bdhi-tree at ,gaya1 #abd ,british ,museum1 ,london1 #gb1 #aai ,buddha1 #abd ,byzantine1 #fh-ge ,period1 #aa ,cameos1 #ee1 #fh1 #gb1 #hg1 #hi1 #ij1 #id1 #ajd1 #aab1 #aaf1 #aai1 #abg ,historical1 #ee1 #ajd ,religious1 #aa ,catharine ,,ii41 ,empress of ,russia1 #hg1 #id ,charles ,v41 ,emperor1 #hf ,chinese1 ,burmese1 and ,siamese1 #abc-abd ,figure-stone1 #abd ,christ1 ,century of1 #aa ,heads of1 #ge ,cleopatra1 beautiful ,turquoise ,cameo1 #ajh ,commodus1 #ij ,constantine1 ,emperor1 #fh1 #ga1 #id1 #ajd ,baptism of1 #gb ,conversion of1 #gb ,coriolanus1 interesting ,historic ,cameo1 #ajd ,crispus1 ,son of ,constantine1 #ig ,cylinders1 ,babylonian1 #ad1 #be ,brazil1 #cb ,chaldean1 over #djjj years old1 #be ,found in ruins of ,um ,kir1 #ce ,nineveh1 #cb ,oldest form of ,seals1 #be ,persian1 #ab ,south ,american ,indians1 #cb ,cypselus1 box of1 #dh ,decebalus1 plot of1 #aaa ,de ,witte1 ,baron ,j41 #ic ,dioscorides1 #hg ,dolphin1 a1 the ,mariner's ,friend1 #aac ,duaoumautew1 #ai ,duke of ,devonshire1 #hh of ,marlborough1 #hh of ,orleans1 #hg ,early ,christians1 #fe-fg ,gems of1 #fe ,egypt1 #af-ba ,temples of1 #ab ,egyptians1 #ci ,records1 #ci ,emperor ,caracalla1 #ac ,constantine1 #ac1 #fh1 #ga1 #gb1 #id1 #ajd ,tiberius1 #ac ,england1 #hf ,engraved ,gems for ,ornamentation1 #he ,quality of ,execution1 #aa1 #ac ,pietradura1 #fe1 #aai ,etruscans--,etruria1 the1 #cf-dj ,country of ,ancient1 #cf ,inscriptions1 #ci ,tombs of1 #cf ,farnese ,family1 #hd ,fausta1 ,wife of ,constantine1 #fh1 #ig ,faustina1 #ac ,feuardent1 ,m41 ,paris1 #ic ,frog1 the1 #aad ,gazette ,archologique1 ,paris1 #ic ,gem-cutting1 earliest mention of1 #ih ,george ,,iii41 ,king of ,england1 #hg ,giovanni ,pickler1 works of1 #hg ,glyptology1 #ad ,grco-,roman1 #eb1 #ef1 #ij ,greece1 #dd-eb ,helena1 ,mother of ,constantine1 #fh1 #ig ,hilprecht1 ,prof4 ,h4 ,v41 #bb ,historic ,cameos1 #ee1 #ajd-aaa ,holy ,family1 token ,cameos and ,intaglios of1 #fh ,horatius defending the ,bridge1 #ajh ,imperial ,collection1 ,st4 ,petersburg1 #gb ,incas1 ,breast ,ornaments1 #abg ,incisori1 #ea1 #ff1 #ga1 #gb1 #ajb ,intaglios1 #cb1 #dd1 #dh1 #eb1 #ee1 #fh1 #gb1 #gg1 #hg1 #ajj1 #aab1 #aaf1 #aai ,jade1 ,chinese1 #abc ,jewish ,prisoners1 #aaa ,josephine1 ,empress of ,france1 #hg ,jupiter giochus1 #ij1 #ia the ,eagle of1 ,amulet1 #aac ,king1 ,prof4 ,c4 ,w41 #id ,lenormant1 ,francois1 #bf1 #ic ,longperier1 ,m4 ,adrien1 #ic ,mama1 ,julia1 ,mother of ,alexander ,severus1 #aai ,marchand1 works of1 #hg ,marcius1 ,original ,name of ,coriolanus1 #ajd ,marcus ,aurelius1 #ij1 #ajg ,medival1 #gf-gi ,medici ,family1 #hj1 #hd ,lorenzo de1 #hd ,mercury1 #ff ,message-bearing ,stones1 #hh ,middle ,ages 7,night of ,art71 #gf ,minerva1 #aad ,minos1 ,king of ,crete1 #hi ,minotaur1 at ,crete1 #ij ,monks1 work of1 #gg ,museum1 ,british1 #gb1 #aai of the ,hermitage1 ,st4 ,petersburg1 #id of the ,louvre1 ,paris1 #ic ,university of ,pennsylvania1 #af1 #bb1 #hi ,mycen1 #ea ,mythological1 #aba-abb ,nacre1 #abc ,natter1 works of1 #hg ,naxos 7,dia71 ,island of1 #hi1 #ij ,nephrite1 #abh ,night of ,art1 #ab1 #gf1 #gi ,northwick ,collection1 ,england1 #ic ,osiris1 ,colossal ,stone ,figure1 #af ,owl1 the1 #aad ,parrot1 the1 ,attendant on ,bacchus1 #aac ,parsees1 #aja ,peacock1 the1 ,favorite of ,juno1 #aac ,persia1 #ajb and ,babylon1 #bb-ce ,phnicia1 #dc-dg ,cylinders1 #dc ,scarabeus1 #dc ,pistrucci1 works of1 #hg ,pizarro1 #abg ,pope ,leo ,x41 #hd ,paul ,,iii41 #hd ,portland1 ,duchess of1 #aai ,vase1 #aai ,prescott1 #abg ,prince ,frederick of ,prussia1 #hg ,publius ,lentullus1 #ff ,rameses1 ,colossal ,stone ,figure1 #af ,raven1 the1 ,friend of ,apollo1 #aac ,rawlinson1 ,sir ,henry1 #ce ,religious ,stone ,literature1 #ii ,tokens1 #fa1 #fe1 #ajj ,renaissance1 #hj-he ,cradle of the1 #hd ,oratorio of the1 #hc ,retrospective1 #abi1 #acj ,roman1 #ee-eg ,empire in ,byzantia1 #id ,gem ,engraving1 #ee ,royal ,collection1 ,vienna1 #gb ,salle des ,pierres ,graves1 ,paris1 #ic ,santarelli1 works of1 #hg ,sapor ,i41 ,king of ,sassanians1 #bb1 #be ,sardinia1 originally ,sandaleotis1 #dd ,sassanians1 #ge ,scarabeus1 ,egyptian1 #bj ,etruscan1 #cf ,funereal1 #af1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba ,phnician1 #dd1 #dg ,scorpion1 a1 #aac ,scriptural ,cameos1 #gb ,seals1 ,assyrian1 #bf1 #ca1 #cb ,persian1 #ab1 #ca ,phnician1 #dd ,religious1 #ajj ,sassanian1 #ca ,serapis1 #ff ,severus1 ,alexander1 ,emperor1 #aai ,signets of ,kings1 #be ,silenus and ,bacchus1 #gh ,sirletti1 works of1 #hg ,stone ,fetiches1 #eh ,storks1 #aad ,succeeding ,declines and ,revivals1 #hf-hh ,talismans1 ,abraxas1 #eh1 #fb ,tesser1 #fe ,tharros1 #dg ,theseus1 #hi ,thotmes1 ,colossal ,stone ,figure1 #af ,titus ,vespasianus1 #ajd1 #aaa ,trajan1 #ajd1 #ajh ,triumph of ,constantine1 #id-ig ,um-,kir1 ,ruins of1 #ce ,unique ,gems1 #gb ,work of the ,aztecs1 #abg ,venus1 #ff ,veturia1 ,mother of ,coriolanus1 #ajd ,volscians1 #ajd ,volumnia1 ,wife of ,coriolanus1 #ajd ,zulian ,cameo1 #ic ,transcriber's ,note3 ,list of ,illustrations entry3 ,greek and ,roman ,intaglio ,rings ,page #di corrected to ,page #ej4 ,obvious printer errors corrected silently4 ,inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original4