Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 350 to 450 CE. A beautiful hand-formed carnelian bead pendant, of translucent, fiery orange hues with wispy scarlet red inclusions, shaped in the resemblance of a playful dolphin. The marine mammal is defined by a bulbous head, a thin mouth with a thick upper lip, recessed eyes with radiating incised borders, a petite dorsal fin, and a slender body leading to a bifurcated tail. A small perforation through the tail enables this carving to be worn as a standalone pendant or as one of many beads on a necklace or bracelet. Size: 1.2" L x 0.3" W (3 cm x 0.8 cm).
The dolphin was a strong motif in Classical culture as a whole; in the Homeric Hymn to Dionysus (Bacchus to the Romans) we learn that dolphins were once humans, created when sailors kidnapped Dionysus and he made them magically leap into the sea and transform into the grinning mammals. The dolphin was also considered the swiftest of all living beings, and is associated with godliness and royalty because of its place as king of the sea.
Provenance: private Los Angeles County, California, USA collection; ex-Hugh Weiser collection
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#134852
Condition
Tail reattached with very minor chips and light adhesive residue along break line. Age-commensurate surface wear and minor abrasions, fading to finer incised details around eyes, and light sticker adhesive along belly.