Description:

Ancient Near East, Byzantine Empire, ca. late 5th to 6th century CE; Europe, Neoclassical period, ca. 19th century CE. A lovely Byzantine carnelian intaglio featuring the an incised monogram or ligature, possibly belonging to the Emperor Anastasius I (491-518 CE), all mounted in a Neoclassical gold ring to be wearable. The elegant ring setting features scroll motif shoulders and a prominent raised bezel opposite a slender band. Monograms were an essential aspect of Byzantine culture, serving as a symbol of power, prestige, and influence. The use of monograms in Byzantine art and literature was widespread, with emperors, nobles, and other high-ranking officials utilizing them to mark their possessions and assert their authority. Monograms were also used in religious contexts, representing the names of saints and other holy figures. Size of intaglio: 0.4" L x 0.3" W (1 cm x 0.8 cm); of ring: 1" L x 0.9" W (2.5 cm x 2.3 cm); US ring size: 6.75; gold quality: 79.3% (over 19 karats); weight: 8 grams

Anastasius I Dicorus was Eastern Roman emperor from 491 to 518. A career civil servant, he came to the throne at the age of 61 after being chosen by Ariadne, the wife of his predecessor, Zeno. His reign was characterized by reforms and improvements in the empire's government, finances, economy and bureaucracy. The resulting stable government, reinvigorated monetary economy and sizeable budget surplus allowed the empire to pursue more ambitious policies under his successors, most notably Justinian I. Since many of Anastasius' reforms proved long-lasting, his influence over the empire endured for centuries.

Provenance: private London, UK collection, acquired in Vienna, Austria, before 2000

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#189682

    Condition:
  • Byzantine intaglio set in a Neoclassical gold ring to be wearable. Chip to upper right corner of carnelian intaglio. Otherwise, ring body is intact and all is in good condition with clear inscription. Wearable.

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November 15, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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