Gems of Heaven - Recent Research on Engraved Gemstones in Late Antiquity c. AD 200 - 600

A thorough account of those gemstones which were engraved throughout antiquity and used as amulets and charms, focusing on the era circa 200 - 600 CE. This is the companion volume to one devoted to recent research on Byzantine jewellery published in 2010 and forms part of a series organised under the auspices of the British Museum Byzantine Seminar Series. The conference brought together leading scholars from Europe, the USA and the Middle East to discuss Late Antique gems and cameos. This is the first time that so many diverse papers, interdisciplinary in nature, have been assembled in a single volume and includes scientific papers addressing issues such as typology and sourcing of gemstones. Table of Contents 1. Non-destructive Gemmological Tests for the Identification of Ancient Gems ( Cigdem Lule ) 2. A Case Study on Gemstone Chrysothrix, a Group of Roman Magical Gems ( Lisbet Thoresen ) 3. Archaeologies of Magical Gems ( Richard Gordon ) 4. Text, Image and the Evolution of Graeco-Roman Magical Gemstones ( Chris Faraone ) 5. The Colours of Magical Gems ( Attilio Mastrocinque ) 6. Magic and Gems and the Power of Seals ( Vronique Dasen ) 7. Magical Gems and Classical Archaeology ( rpd M. Nagy ) 8. Studies on Magical Gems in the British Museum ( Simone Michel ) 9. Grylloi ( Ken Lapatin ) 10. Intaglios in Military Contexts in 2nd-4th Century AD the Case of Legio and Aelia Capitolina ( Orit Pelegand and Yotam Tepper ) 11. Selected Antique Gems from Israel ( Shua Amorai-Stark and Malka Hershkovitz ) 12. The Christian Gems from Portugal in Context ( Graa Cravinho ) 13. Intaglios and cameos from Gaul in the 3rd and 4th Centuries AD ( Hlne Guiraud ) 14. Late Roman Gems from Tilurium in Croatia ( Bruna Nardelli ) 15. Three Degrees of Detail Reworking, Type Updating and Identity Transformation in Roman Imperial Glyptic Portraits in the Round ( Elisabetta Gagetti ) 16.Gem Portraits of Soldier Emperors ( Erika Zwierlein-Diehl ) 17. Gods or mortals? Images on Imperial Portrait Gems, Medallions and Coins in the 3rd century AD ( Adrian Marsden ) 18. Love and Personal Cameos in Late Antiquity ( Helen Molesworth and Martin Henig ) 19. The Belgrade Cameo ( Antje Krug ) 20. Late Antique some Unpublished Examples ( Jeffrey Spier ) 21. The Argument from Silence Iconographical Statements of 1981 on Faked Gems Reconsidered ( Josef Engemann ) 22. The Constanza Cornelianand the Development of Crucifixion Iconography in Late Antiquity ( Felicity Harley McGowan ) 23. Seals in their Change of Function and Value in Late Antiquity ( Gertrud Platz-Horster ) 24. Myth Revisited. The Re-use of Mythological Cameos and Intaglios in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages ( Gemma Sena Chiesa ) 25. Inscriptions on Portrait Gems in Late Antiquity (4th 6th centuries) ( Sbastien Aubry ) 26. Some Engraved Gemstones from Late Antiquity in Atlanta ( Jasper Gaunt ) 27. Can Ringstones and Cloisonn Tell Us Anything About Gem Sources and Trade? ( Nol Adams ) 28. Roman Intaglios Oddly the Transformative Power of the Metalwork Mount ( Genevra Kornbluth ) 29. The Re-use and Re-interpretation of Gemstones in Medieval Hungary ( Tams Gesztelyi ) 30. The Fight of Athena and Poseidon and its Depiction on Glyptics Across the Centuries ( Hadrien Rambach ) Non-destructive Gemmological Tests For The Identification Of Ancient Gems / Çiğdem Lüle -- A Case Study On Gemstone Origins: Chrysothrix, A Group Of Roman Magical Gems / Lisbet Thoresen -- The Garnet Millennium: The Role Of Seal Stones In Garnet Studies / Noël Adams -- Lithóis Indikois: Preliminary Characterisation Of Garnet Seal Stones From Central And South Asia / Noël Adams, Çiğdem Lüle And Emma Passmore -- Archaeologies Of Magical Gems / Richard Gordon -- Text, Image And Medium: The Evolution Of Graeco-roman Magical Gemstones / Chris Faraone -- The Colours [colors] Of Magical Gems / Attilio Matrocinque -- Magic And Medicine: Gems And The Power Of Seals / Véronique Dasen -- Magical Gems And Classical Archaeology / Árpád M. Nagy -- Studies On Magical Amulets In The British Museum / Simone Michel-von Dungern -- 'grylloi' / Ken Lapatin -- Engraved Gems From Sites With A Military Presence In Roman Palestine: The Cases Of Legio And Aelia Capitolina / Orit Peleg-barkat And Yotam Tepper -- Selected Antique Gems From Israel: Excavated Glyptics From Roman-byzantine Tombs / Shua Amorai-stark And Malka Hershkovitz -- Christian Gems From Portugal In Context / Graça Cravinho And Shua Amorai-stark -- Intaglios And Cameos From Gaul In The 3rd And 4th Centuries Ad / Hélène Guiraud -- Late Roman Gems From Tilurim In Croatia / Bruna Nardelli -- Three Degrees Of Separation: Detail Reworking, Type Updating And Identity. Transformation In Roman Imperial Glyptic Portraits In The Round / Elisabetta Gagetti -- Gem Portraits Of Soldier-emperors / Erika Zwierlein-diehl -- Gods Or Mortals: Images On Imperial Portrait Gems, Medallions And Coins In The 3rd Century Ad / Adrian Marsden -- Love And Passion: Personal Cameos In Late Antiquity From The Content Collection / Helen Molesworth And Martin Henig -- The Belgrade Cameo / Antje Krug -- Late Antique And Early Christian Gems: Some Unpublished Examples / Jeffrey Spier -- The Argument From Silence: Iconographic Statements Of 1981 On Faked Gems Reconsidered / Josef Engemann -- The Constanza Carnelian And The Development Of Crucifixion Iconography In Late Antiquity / Felicity Harley-mcgowan -- Seals In Transition: Their Change Of Function And Value In Late Antiquity / Gertrud Platz-horster -- Myth Revisited: Teh Re-use Of Mythological Cameos And Intaglios In Late Antiquity And The Early Middle Ages / Gemma Sena Chiesa -- Inscriptions On Portrait Gems And Discs In Late Antiquity (4th To 6th Centuries Ad): Between Epigraphical Tradition And Numismatic Particularism / Sébastien Aubry -- Roman Intaglios Oddly Set: The Transformative Power Of The Metalwork Mount / Genevra Kornbluth -- The Re-use And Re-interpretation Of Gemstones In Medieval Hungary / Tamás Gesztelyi -- Reflections On Gems Depicting The Contest Of Athena And Poseidon / Hadrien Rambach. Edited By Chris Entwistle And Noël Adams. Thirty Of 34 Papers From A Conference Held At The British Museum On May 28th To May 31st 2009, Organized Under The Auspices Of The British Museum Byzantine Seminar. Includes Bibliographical References. 00 Prelims REPRINT......Page 1 01 LulefinalREPRINT......Page 11 02 Thoresenfinal......Page 14 03 Adamsfinal......Page 20 04 Adams and Passmorefinal......Page 35 05 Gordonfinal......Page 49 06 Faraonefinal......Page 60 07 Mastrocinquefinal......Page 72 08 Dasenfinal......Page 79 09 Nagyfinal......Page 85 10 Michel-von Dungernfinal......Page 92 11 Lapatinfinal......Page 98 12 Peleg-Barkatfinalpdf......Page 109 13 AmoraiStarkHershfinal......Page 115 14 Cravinhofinal......Page 124 15 Guiraud......Page 137 16 Nardellifinal......Page 140 17 Gagetti......Page 145 18 Zwierlein-Diehl REPRINT......Page 159 19 Marsden......Page 173 20 Molesworthfinal......Page 189 21 Krugfinal......Page 196 22 Spier......Page 203 23 Engemann......Page 218 24 Harley-McGowan......Page 224 25 Platz-Horster......Page 231 26 Chiesa......Page 239 27 Aubry......Page 249 28 Kornbluth......Page 258 29 Gesztelyi......Page 267 30 Rambach......Page 273