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Scarab with Eros
Greek
Late Archaic Period
early 5th century B.C.
Medium/Technique
Carnelian
Dimensions
Overall: 1.2 x 2.4 cm (1/2 x 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bartlett Collection—Museum purchase with funds from the Francis Bartlett Donation of 1912
Accession Number27.680
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsJewelry, Ancient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Scarabs and scaraboids
Catalogue Raisonné
Lewes House Gems, no. 032 (1920; 2002, additional published references).
DescriptionIntaglio. Set in modern gold bezel. Pierced for stringing (horizontal). Motif oriented horizontally. Eros flying to the right, and looking back over his right shoulder. Holding a branch in either hand. Wing curve up slightly at the tips. Wearing a mantle around his shoulders and draped over his arms. Torso is twisted: pectorals are frontal, rib cage and abdominals only partially visible. Hatched border. Beetle: double line separating thorax and elytra. Elytra not separated.
ProvenanceBy date unknown: with Edward Perry Warren (according to J. D. Beazley, The Lewes House Collection of Ancient Gems, no. 32: found at Paphos; bought from a Dutch priest who purchased most of his antiquities at Amathus or Larnaka); April 5, 1926: loaned to MFA by Edward Perry Warren (as 128.26); November 17, 1927: purchased by MFA from Edward Perry Warren for $ 161,000.00 (this figure is the total price for MFA 27.647-27.761)