Lot 37
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A pretty carnelian intaglio of an insect, likely a bee, mounted in an elegant silver ring. The detailed image captures the essence of the creature with its ovoid head, antennae, spread wings, pointed stinger, and slender legs extending from its plump body. Revered for its symbolism of industriousness and communal effort, the bee was long admired in antiquity. Aristotle, in his Historia Animalium (4th century BC), described the bee as "civic" (politikai), an idea further explored by Roman scholars such as Varro, Virgil, Pliny the Elder, and Columella. In Roman life, bees and their by-products - honey and wax - were essential, from offerings to household spirits to the creation of waxen death masks used in funerary rites. This remarkable piece elegantly marries ancient symbolism with craftsmanship, offering a profound connection to both history and nature. Size of intaglio: 0.4" L x 0.3" W (1 cm x 0.8 cm); of ring: 0.9" L x 0.8" W (2.3 cm x 2 cm); US ring size: 6.75; silver quality: 95.12%; weight: 3.1 grams
In the fourth book of Virgils Georgics, practical advice for beekeepers is offered, addressing topics such as the ideal location for hives and how to manage pests and diseases. However, Virgil also elevates bees beyond mere agricultural concerns, intertwining them with mythological significance. Bees are portrayed as creatures that bridge the mortal and divine realms, producing "the heavenly gifts of honey from the air." The Roman belief in the divine nature of bees likely stems from the idea that something as exceptional as honey must have otherworldly origins. Virgils opening line, "aerii mellis caelestia dona" ("the heavenly gifts of honey of the air"), reflects the ancient belief that honey descended from the heavens like dew. This notion was also echoed by Pliny the Elder, who wrote: "At early dawn the leaves of the trees are found covered with a kind of honey-like dew
Whether it is that this liquid is the sweat of the heavens, or whether a saliva emanating from the stars, or a juice exuding from the air while purifying itself..." (Natural History, Book 11, Chapter 12, translated by HT Riley).
Greek mythology has several gods who are associated with bees. Aristaeus is the god of beekeeping. After inadvertently causing the death of Eurydice, who stepped upon a snake while fleeing him, her nymph sisters punished him by killing every one of his bees. Witnessing the empty hives where his bees had dwelt, Aristaeus wept and consulted Proteus who advised him to honor the memory of Eurydice by sacrificing four bulls and four cows. Upon doing so, he let them rot and from their corpses rose new bees to fill his empty hives.
Provenance: private London, UK collection, acquired in Vienna, Austria, before 2000
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#189679
- Condition: Some minor chipping and indentations to piecrust bezel, as well as light age-wear to silver. Otherwise, intact, very nice, and wearable. Easily-cleaned patina in areas.
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