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Roman intaglio (Sol in quadriga)
Complete, with little or no trace of wear. One of the largest stones in the collection. Found set in an iron ring, which was much decayed but possible to draw from x-ray. Sol standing in a quadriga drawn by four horses, all rearing up on their hind legs, and pulling the chariot to the right. Sol has his hand raised in salutation, and carries a whip across his right shoulder.
This is one of 88 engraved gemstones retrieved in 1979, mostly from the filling of a large drain beneath the cold hall of the fortress baths. The gemstones would originally have been set in finger-rings, and served as signets and charms or talismans for their owners. They were products of extremely skilled craftsman who worked on a minute scale without the aid of magnification. The gems are engraved with a wide range of deities, personification and symbols.
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Site Name: Caerleon Fortress Baths, Caerleon
Notes: from the site of the frigidarium at the baths