Ca. 100-300 AD.An oval-shaped carnelian intaglio engraved with a depiction of the goddess Ceres picking wheat. Ceres was beloved for her service to mankind in giving them the gift of the harvest, the reward for the cultivation of the soil. Also known as the Greek goddess Demeter, Ceres was the goddess of the harvest and was credited with teaching humans how to grow, preserve, and prepare grain and corn. She was believed to be responsible for the fertility of the land. This fine intaglio is set in a later period gold ring with expanded shoulders and twisted ropework decoration around the bezel.Size: D: 18.89mm / US: 9 1/8 / UK: S; 7.7gProvenance: Property of a London collector, acqured on the US art market, formerly in a collection of I. G. acquired pre 1990s.