Greek chalcedony pierced scaraboid, 3rd - 1st century BC, featuring a serpent and cat intaglio.
Pre-order
The cat and snake duel is an ancient Egyptian motif depicting Bastet, the protector of families, children and women, fighting the evil snake Apep. When the ancient Greeks encountered her in Egypt during the Hellenistic period they referred to the feline deity as Ailuros.
This swivel-ring stone, just 15mm across, is not rendered with the delicacy of the finest Hellenistic workshops yet contains an extraordinarily emotive scene. The cat is alarmed by its foe, back arched with hair and tail raised and claws extended.
By contrast, a micro carving of a smiling human-like face looks out at the wearer, revealing the confidence that despite its soft appearance, a cat can easily defeat a snake. The face is barely visible without magnification - it would fit about 12 times on a single grain of rice.
We can speculate that the cat may have been an avatar for the wearer. Ailuros was more a narrative figure than a goddess for the Greeks and the scene might represent courage, feminine resilience or some other personal message.
This completely unique gem will be set in a ring again.
