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Oval gem with grasshopper on stalk
Roman
Imperial Period
A.D. 1–200
Medium/Technique
Carnelian
Dimensions
Legacy dimension: W. 0.9 cm H. 0.6 cm Thickness: 0.25 cm
Credit Line
Gift of Burton Y. Berry
Accession Number1973.273
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsJewelry, Ancient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Gems
DescriptionGrasshopper perched on stalk of grain to left. Grasshoppers are often found on small, sometimes comic, intaglios from the Roman period. Their significance is unclear. However grasshoppers and cicadas are featured in ancient literature, particularly in Aesop’s fables and Aristotle’s treatises
Scratched; small chip missing near ear of grain. Red with dark veins carnelian (?) oval intaglio with flat front and beveled edge.
Scratched; small chip missing near ear of grain. Red with dark veins carnelian (?) oval intaglio with flat front and beveled edge.
ProvenanceBy date unknown: Burton Y. Berry Collection; gift of Burton Y. Berry to MFA, May 9, 1973