Ancient Roman Gold Ring - Ring with XRF Test

Roman Gold ring with agate intaglio depicting Eros on the back of a dolphin.

Eros (Cupid) riding a dolphin was a common motif in Greek and Roman art. As the god of love, Eros is closely linked to Aphrodite (Venus), who herself has strong marine associations: according to myth she was born from sea foam after the Titan Uranus’s severed genitals fell into the ocean. The Latin poet Nonnus, in his 5th-century AD epic the Dionysiaca, relates that a dolphin bore Aphrodite from the sea to Cyprus. Depictions of Eros on a dolphin also appear frequently on Roman coins (both Republican and Imperial) and in mosaics and frescoes.

Circa 1st-2nd.Century Ad.
Measurements:
Ring inside 19.4mm.
Weight:8.85g.
Provenance:
London private collection from 1990
Previously in London private collection 1970-1990

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