 Necklaces and Cameos
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Necklaces in Ancient Rome came in a wide variety of forms and styles.
The Latin term for necklace was monile (a string of beads) or torques.
They were usually in gold, but sometimes also in silver, with different gems and stones.
Pendants and cameos were also used.
Pictures are taken from various sites, clicking on the image will take you to them.
Gold necklace with pearls and emeralds. It dates to the 1st century AD. |
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Naples, Archaeological Museum |
Four gold coins, bearing the heads of Faustina the Elder, Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius and Gordian III, each provided with an ornate setting, have been used as pendant decoration for a chain which can be adjusted in length. Dated to 3rd century AD. |
A silver medallion and chain from the early 1st century AD. |
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Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna |
Cologne, R-G Museum |
Cameo is a method of carving, or an item of jewellery made in this manner. It features a raised (positive) relief image; contrast with intaglio, which has a negative image. Cameos are often worn as jewellery. Cameos were very popular in Ancient Rome, where they were called gemmae ectypae.
The eagle, symbol of the Imperium Romanum, stands with outspread wings on a palm branch. In the left talon it grips a wreath of oak leaves, the corona civica . Dated to 1st c. BC. |
A cameo pendant of couple dating to the 4th century AD. |
Caracalla coin pendant from the early 2nd century AD. |
A gold pendant with glass beads and cameos of children's faces, 3rd century AD. |
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Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna |
Getty Museum |
Vienna KH Museum |
London, Victoria & Albert Museum |
A portrait of the emperor Caracalla, from 3rd century AD, to which were added a cross and a Greek inscription during the Byzantine period, transforming it in an image of St. Peter. |
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Cabinet des Médailles de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France |
Called the Gemma Augustea, this cameo depicts in the upper row Augustus posed and dressed as Jupiter and holding a sceptre and augur staff. In January 6, 10 A. D., Tiberius, the supreme military commander of the Roman troops, entered Rome. As victor he stands before his Emperor. The whole scene depicts the victory of the Romans over the Dalmatians. |
Called the Gemma Claudia, this is a Roman five-layered onyx cameo of c.49 AD. Out of two cornucopia sprout four portraits. On the left is the Emperor Claudius and his wife Agrippina opposite them, Agrippina's parents Germanicus and Agrippina, the Elder.. The unknown artist carved the work from the five alternately dark and light layers of the stone with great virtuosity. He achieves an increased transparency of the material by cutting layers that are of unparalleled thinness (minimum 2 mm). |
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Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna
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It later found its way into the Hapsburg collections now in the Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna . |
