Ca. 100-300 AD. Roman. A beautiful gold ring with a circular band, flared shoulders, and an oval bezel set with large oval red carnelian intaglio depicting a winged infant on the left-hand side and a seated, bearded male figure with raised left arm holding thunderbolt on the right-hand side. Excellent condition; wearable. The item has undergone X-ray fluorescence analysis to confirm the metallurgical content suggesting its ancient origin and lack of modern trace elements. It also comes with a gemological and historical report by an independent specialist Anna Rogers. Thunderbolts are typically an attribute of the king of the gods, i.e. Zeus for the ancient Greeks and Jupiter for the Romans. The winged infant may be Eros (also known as Cupid). In Archaic Greek art, Eros was represented as a beautiful winged youth but tended to be made younger and younger until, by the Hellenistic period and Roman times, he was often depicted as an infant as we see in this instance. Roman rings were often embellished with intaglios, cameos and precious gemstones, and mythology and Roman history were used as a repertoire of decorative themes. For more information, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman Jewellery. London: Methuen.Size: D: 20.02mm / US: 10 1/4 / UK: U; 6.2g. Provenance: From the collection of a London gentleman; formerly acquired in early 2000s in Belgium; previously in 1970s European collection.