Cameo Gem

Unknown

1st century A.D.

Banded agate, Agate

J. Paul Getty Museum

A carved cameo gem is shown in a close-up, oval-shaped view against a black background. The gem features a relief carving of a figure or form within a banded agate setting. Dog, viewed from above, reclining on his left side; his head is raised and looks forward; his front paws are stretched before him. The base of the cameo is orange-brown, and the upper layers white with darker bands. The sides of the base slope inward; the back is flat and polished. Spier, Jeffrey. Ancient Gems and Finger Rings: Catalogue of the Collections (Malibu: The J. Paul Getty Museum, 1992), no. 439.