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Engraved Gem

Creator

Unknown All works by this person →More on Getty ULAN

Date: 2nd–4th century A.D.
Medium: Yellow jasper
Culture: Roman
Department: Jewelry
Institution: Getty Museum

Octagonal gem with flat surfaces on both sides. On the obverse, a crab, seen from above, with pincers extended and eyestalks protruding forward. On reverse, inscribed in Greek: ΒΑΡΧΑ, part of a magical word [ΒΑΡΧΑI] often incised on the reverse of crab motif gems. On facets, with one letter per side and with one side blank: Α/Ε/Η/Ι/[Ο?]/Λ/Μ.

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