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Source Description
This intaglio has the bust of a Ptolemaic queen in profile to the left. She is wearing a chiton and a necklace and has her hair elaborately done. The queen depicted may be Berenike II (ca. 267-222 BCE), the wife of Ptolemy III, or Cleopatra I (ca. 204-180 BCE), the wife of Ptolemy V. If the image is of Berenike II, the arrangement of her hair may be important. To ensure the safe return from battle of her husband, Ptolemy III, Berenike II dedicated her hair to the gods. After she cut it off, her hair reputedly became the constellation known as Berenice's Hair, near Leo. A Greek inscription on the right reads ΝΙΚΑΝΔΡ.Ϲ ΕΠ.EI (Nikandros made [me]).
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
20290
label
Intaglio with Bust of a Ptolemaic Queen Set in a Mount
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
3
Source metadata
id
20290
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Intaglio with Bust of a Ptolemaic Queen Set in a Mount
description
This intaglio has the bust of a Ptolemaic queen in profile to the left. She is wearing a chiton and a necklace and has her hair elaborately done. The queen depicted may be Berenike II (ca. 267-222 BCE), the wife of Ptolemy III, or Cleopatra I (ca. 204-180 BCE), the wife of Ptolemy V. If the image is of Berenike II, the arrangement of her hair may be important. To ensure the safe return from battle of her husband, Ptolemy III, Berenike II dedicated her hair to the gods. After she cut it off, her hair reputedly became the constellation known as Berenice's Hair, near Leo. A Greek inscription on the right reads ΝΙΚΑΝΔΡ.Ϲ ΕΠ.EI (Nikandros made [me]).
provenance
George Spencer, fourth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, by 1817, [mode of acquisition unknown] [Marlborough no. 447]; George Spencer-Churchill, fifth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1817, by bequest; George Spencer-Churchill, sixth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1840, by bequest; John Spencer-Churchill, seventh Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1857, by bequest; Sale, The Marlborough Gems, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 28 June 1875, p. 70, lot 447 [as “daughter of Titus by Nicander”; David Bromilow, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, ca. 1875, by purchase; Julia Bromilow Jary, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, 1898, by bequest; Sale, The Marlborough Gems Purchased by the Late David Bromilow, esq., Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 26 June 1899, p. 79, lot 447; Arthur Evans, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire, 1899, by purchase [Francis E. Whelan as agent] [Evans inv. no. 64]; Jacob Hirsch, Munich, 1941 [executor of Evans' will]; Walters Art Museum, 1942, by purchase.
date
3rd-2nd century BCE (Hellenistic)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Precious Stones & Gems
seals (artifacts)
intaglios
gems
finger rings
imageCount
3
pageCount
3
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
2.6
height
2.6
depth
1.2
dimensionsRaw
H: 1 x W: 1 x D: 1/2 in. (2.6 x 2.6 x 1.2 cm)
Source extras
med
garnet; mount: gold
creator_ids
2815
collection_ids
GRC
EGY
JWL
exhibition_ids
2237
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
f80e398104848fc7
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
6f930a85603c74da
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
48e7b9d8b96582ac
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no