Scaraboid with a Man Sitting on a Rock

Identification and Creation

Object Number: 1986.545
Title: Scaraboid with a Man Sitting on a Rock
Classification: Gems
Work Type: gem
Date: 400-300 BCE
Period: Classical period, Late
Culture: Greek
Persistent Link: https://hvrd.art/o/289103

Physical Descriptions

Medium: Dark blue glass
Technique: Cast
Dimensions: 2.2 x 1.9 x 0.9 cm (7/8 x 3/4 x 3/8 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History: Jonathan H. Kagan, gift; to the Harvard Art Museum, 1986.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line: Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Jonathan H. Kagan
Accession Year: 1986
Object Number: 1986.545
Division: Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact: am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
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Descriptions

Description: Blue glass scaraboid (gem in the shape of a beetle); cast surface. A nude male figure is shown seated on a rock. His right arm rests on a club, suggesting this may be a representation of Herakles. The surface is heavily pitted.
Commentary: This dark blue glass scaraboid was cast rather than carved, a fact which is clear in the execution where the designs are lighter than what is achieved in a drilled gem. Glass scaraboid may have been produced as a less costly alternative to precious stones. The fact that glass gems are cast, means they could have been mass produced.

Verification Level

This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

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