A precious etruscan scarab in deep red carnelian. Two warriors. In the foreground there is the winning warrior, protected by a shield, ready for a mortal downward blow with his spear; at the bottom, the other warrior is kneeling on the ground, still holding his spear, but nearly defeated. Both fighters are helmeted and naked, characterized by sculptural bodies. Attractive composition, well studied and engraved with competence, paying great attention to anatomical details. The character's feet go over the hatched frame, nearly going out of the gem field, recurring element in some specimens from that period; remarkable compositive idea of showing the body of the warrior on the ground through the legs of the figure in the foreground (a detail which is also findable in etruscan art from the 5th-4th century B.C.). Mirror-finish polishing inside the figures, even in the smallest details. Wear marks on the field and border, on the side where the intaglio is. The scene is enclosed within a hatched frame. Wear marks on the scarab, which is characterized by a consumed edge with traces of decoration and of the ancient polishing. Light chipping on the hole opening and under insect's head. Light burns and oxid traces on the the through-hole opening. A stone of a remarkable gem quality. A specimen of fine craftsmanship and conservation, a rare artistic expression of the etruscan style of end 5th - beginning 4th century B.C. For comparisons: J. Boardman, Intaglios and rings. Greek, etruscan and eastern. From a private collection, p.104 n. 131, 134; Tesori antichi. I gioielli della collezione Campana, p. 53 n.106 (cosidetto "stile libero"; G.M.A. Richter, Catalogue of engraved gems. Greek, etruscan and roman (The Metropolitan Museum of Art- New York), p. 47 n.75; J. Boardman, C. Wagner, Masterpices in miniature. Engraved gems from prehistory to the present, p. 91 n.79,p. 93 n.81, p. 99 n. 87, p.105 n.93. End of 5th century B.C. - beginning of 4th century B.C.
16 x 13 x 9 mm.