Getty Museum

Cameo Gem

Date

1st–3rd century A.D.

Medium

Sardonyx

Culture

Roman

Department

Jewelry

Institution

Getty Museum

A lion reclines, resting his head on his forelegs. The thick, shaggy mane sets off the beast's head from the smooth fur of the body. Roman cameo gems frequently depicted animals. Although lions were well known to Romans from spectacles and circuses, the portrayal of a lion on a cameo probably had a symbolic meaning, perhaps emphasizing strength and fortitude. Cameos, gems with motifs carved in relief, were introduced in the Hellenistic period, but only became popular in the Roman era. Carved from layered, colored stones, most cameos display the decoration in a lighter layer against a dark background, as seen here, where the bluish-white lion contrasts with the brown background. Small cameos were often set into rings.

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