A fine Ancient Roman black hardstone intaglio, oval in shape with an unadorned reverse. The sides flare to a wide obverse, carefully engraved with a male figure, possibly a soldier or a gladiator holding a spear in one hand, with the figure of Fortuna behind him holding a cornucopia in one hand and crowning the soldier with a wreath she holds in the other. The scene could be a representation of a military or competitive triumph, where Fortuna crowning the victor. The back of the stone displays remnants of iron, possibly from a bezel. Minor wear and earthy encrustations to the surface, consistent with age. This piece is accompanied by a museum-quality impression. The term intaglio refers to a small image that has been engraved into a gemstone and usually set in a piece of jewellery, most commonly a ring. Such artistic form has its origin in Sumer in the 4th millennium BC, with the appearance of cylinder and stamp seals, whereby decorations and patterns were engraved into soft stones. During the Hellenistic period and the early Roman Empire, the art of intaglio reached its apogee, with there being a steady decline in craftsmanship in the late Imperial Rome, until a revival of interest with the Byzantine and during the Renaissance. Measurements: L 1.9cm x W 1.4cm x H 0.4cm Provenance: From a London, UK, based collection, 1990s.