Roman Rock Crystal Gemstone of an Archigallus

CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.

1/2 in. (0.62 grams, 14 mm).

Ellipsoid in plan with an engraved scene of a cockerel copulating with a hen, inscription above.

Provenance

Property of a European gentleman, acquired from the estate of a London collector (formed before 2000).

Footnotes

In ancient Rome, a cockerel, Latin gallus, was a symbol of virility and fertility. But gallus (plural galli) was also the term for a religious devotee and later for a priest of Cybele (Magna Mater). Often eunuchs, they performed ecstatic dances and rituals, sometimes even engaging in sexual acts as part of their religious practices. In Rome, the head of the Cybele priests was the archigallus, chosen by the quindecimviri sacris faciundis. Reliefs show that the archigallus was wearing luxurious and extravagant costumes and jewellery. This unique gemstone can be attributed to such an archigallus. The cult of Cybele/Magna Mater and the presence of galli also spread to Roman Britain, where it is attested, e.g. in Catterick and Corbridge.

CONDITION

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LOT 0125