Engraved bloodstone gem with a bird-like figure

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Engraved gems. Magical amulet. Obverse: a figure with the body of humanoid shape, but otherwise bird-like. It has wings, which are extended, bird's legs and feet and a small avian head in profile to the left. A crown of rays and a nimbus recall the legendary phoenix, which is extensively alluded to on amulets. the reverse is blank. Intaglio cutting, bloodstone, 12 mm x 9 mm, circa 300-circa 500 AD. Roman Imperial.

Image data

Accession Number: CG 515
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/29.0
Focal length: 120
Camera: Hasselblad H3DII-31
Photographer name: Jaymes Sinclair
Image height: 768 pixels
Image width: 1024 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.4 (Windows)
Filesize: 52.21kB
Exposure time: 1/60
ISO Speed: 200
Fnumber: 29/1
Captured: 2014:05:07 10:19:04

Key words

4th Century 5th Century AD amulet antiquity birds bloodstone engraved gem feathered feathers finger ring Fitz_ANT gemstones green halo incised intaglio intaglio cutting jewellery jewelry magical amulet nimbus phoenix ring ringstone Roman Roman Imperial wings

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025)
            "Engraved bloodstone gem with a bird-like figure"
            Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/image/media-3637921629 Accessed: 2025-11-10 22:36:57

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            {{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/image/media-3637921629
            |title=Engraved bloodstone gem with a bird-like figure
            |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-11-10 22:36:57|publisher=The
            University of Cambridge}}

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