1 / 4
a picture of a stone with a picture of a man on itan image of a black and white photo of a man with a doga picture of a stone with a picture of a man and a dog on ita donut that has a bite taken out of it
Premium Hôtel des Ventes de Monte-Carlo

31 - ROMAN ENGRAVING ON A SCARAB SEAL.
See original version (French)

Estimate €1,000 - €1,200
Sale commission
Description
ROMAN ENGRAVING ON A SCARAB SEAL. Shepherd and his flock. Latin inscriptions. Agate Dimensions: 1.2 x 1.4 x 0.5 cm Late Republican Roman art, 1st century BC, Provenance Former private collection of Mr R., acquired on the French art market between the 1900s and the early 2000s Agate scaraboid seal, pierced lengthways so that it could be strung and worn, engraved in intaglio on its convex side. The bucolic scene depicts a shepherd leaning with both hands on his staff (pedum), clad in a short tunic and a chlamys, bending towards three ewes gathered at his feet. In the field, an abbreviated Latin inscription — B·HIL / M·AL —, the name of an owner. The shape, the perforation and the workmanship indicate an older scaraboid, reused during the late Republican period; the Latin inscription likely marks this reuse. The reuse of engraved seals — reclaimed, reassembled, and sometimes re-inscribed at the whim of their successive owners — is a constant feature of ancient glyptics, and lends the stone the interest of a documented history as an object. The image of the shepherd watching over his flock belongs to the pastoral repertoire, evoking the peace of the countryside and rustic otium. A reused agate engraved scaraboid seal depicting a Late Republican scene. Shepherd with a Latin inscription. 1st century BCE.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale FROM CAESAR TO CAESAR
Auction location
Auction time 07/08/2026 at 3:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like