A rare small Phoenician carnelian scarab set in a gold swivel ring. Lion head.

6th century B.C ...

A rare small Phoenician carnelian scarab set in a gold swivel ring. Lion head.

6th century B.C, circa 500 B.C.

Int diam 20 mm; seal 7 x 9 x 5 mm; 2,79 gr.

Rounded hoop ending with twisted wire on the shoulders. Revolving carnelian scarab with engraved design. The back with naturalistic details. The underside engraved with a lion forepart turned right. His mane with hatched pattern. Cable border. The style and the iconography is typicall from the greek-phoenician orientalizing period. Parallels: for similar sacarab with same design see Beazley archive Ashkelon. CSAPI no. 60. BL. III, Ibiza no. 139 (Barcelona 9388). BH. I, Paris, BN, Pauvert no. 50, from Etruria. Cornelian. Beaded border. Forepart., from Tharros. BH;PB. Faced by profile head of satyr. I, AG pl. 15.90. BH. As the last. III, Anecd pl. 26.B29. BH. V. A.G. : Fürtwangler, A., Die antiken Gemmen, 1900; Anecd : Acquaro, E., Anecdote Tharrica, 1975

Provenance: U.K. private collection 1985. Formerly in Arthur Sambon (1867-1947) collection.