Ca. 100-300 AD. Roman. A wearable gold ring featuring a circular band, flared shoulders, and large oval bezel embellished with a finely incised intaglio depicting a cockerel facing an oinochoe. Roman rings featuring carved gemstones, such as carnelian, garnet or chalcedony, were often engraved with the depiction of deities, allegories and zoomorphic creatures. Mythology and Roman history were used as a repertoire of decorative themes. In the Greek and Roman worlds, the figure of the rooster was frequently associated with gods such as Asclepius, Minerva, and Mars, and represented different aspects of their personalities or spheres of influence, such as healing, readiness, and pugnacity. To find out more about Roman rings and jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen.Size: D: 20.4mm / US: 10 3/4 / UK: V 1/4 / 5.2g. Provenance: From an old British collection formed in the 1990s; previously acquired in Germany.