Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Goddess Hecate

1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.

1/2 in. (0.65 grams, 13 mm).

Ellipsoid in plan with intaglio standing robed figure of Hecate, her heads facing left and right, with six arms; holding the leashes of two dogs standing to either side of her, with birds in the field; chipped; supplied with a museum-quality impression. [No Reserve]

Provenance

From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Literature

Cf. a similar gemstone with Hecate in Delatte A., Derchain, Ph., Les Intailles magiques gréco-égyptiennes, Paris, 1964, no.254.

Footnotes

Hecate, the goddess of the Underworld, is often represented with 6 arms: the uppermost hands holding torches, the middle hands holding daggers, and the lowermost hands holding whips. Hecate was a chthonic (underworld) goddess. As the holder of the keys that can unlock the gates between realms, she could unlock the gates of death, as described in a 3rd-century B.C. poem by Theocritus. In the 1st century AD, Virgil described the entrance to hell as 'Hecate's Grove', though he says that Hecate is equally 'powerful in Heaven and Hell.'

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process

AUCTIONS:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 1072