Roman Sardonyx Isis Gemstone

With a broadly barrel-shaped body, everted foot and shoulder, domed inverted neck; areas of iridescence; repaired. 42 grams, 85 mm high



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998.

Originally used principally by women to hold cosmetics, jewellery or even poisonous substances, some pyxides have even been identified as ink pots. Most surviving examples are green terracotta examples.

Of penannular form, decorative panels with ring-and-dot and line designs separated by narrow decorative bands. 26 grams, 69 mm



From the collection of a High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman, circa 2000.

The upper part of a Beneficiarius dedicatory spear or sceptre, comprising a circular-section shaft with an ivy leaf finial, a crescent (lunula) below and the point with triple acorn-shaped spheres; the lower end of the shaft square-section and with a rosette for attaching it to the wooden part, engraved with X-motifs and circumferential lines. 62 grams, 49 cm



Found Cambridgeshire, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The beneficiarii, within the Roman army, were soldiers exempted from menial duties and acting as orderlies of senior officers; they were also charged with particular duties by governors and generals. Their distinctive insignia were decorated spears, often with a point shaped like an ivy leaf. The military stela from Perinth depicting a 3rd century beneficiarius shows a very similar spear, mounted over a particular structure on the midshaft of the spear.