A roman hematite gnostic intaglio. Reaper- Eagle.

2nd - 3rd century A.D.

21 x 27 x 4 mm.

A) Reaper wearing high cap and kilt, stooping to right to cut five stalks of grain with a long-handled sickle. Behind him, on the left, a tree. B) Eagle with widespread wings. Above, the greek letter Ρ.

Longitudinal crack visible on the stone (stone is broken in 2 pieces). A series of hematite intaglios show a reaper leaning forward to cut tall stalks of wheat with his sickle; behind him rises a tree branch. On most of them, we found inscriptions on the reverse, indicating they are amulets against hip pain. This lies in the fact that this type of work presupposes that one does not suffer from the hips. Hematite was a stone appreciated for its ease in breaking, because hematite dust was frequently used in medicine. The breaks of hematite gems can testify to a medical rite in which a part of the stone was pulverized to make a medicine.

Parallel: Mastrocinque, Attilio. Les intailles magiques du département des Monnaies, médailles et antiques. Paris : Bibliothèque nationale de France, 2014, p.169, n°460. Bonner, C.. Studies in magical amulets. 1950, n° 120, p, 272.