A rare greco persian chalcedony six-faced tabloid engraved seal. Hunter with animals.

Second half of the 5th century B.C.

10 x 14 x 6 mm

Rectangular stone, with one side flat, the other cut into five facets. Each of the six sides have an engraved figure. The stone is perforated horizontally. Slight chips. The smaller face is engraved with a dog, facing right. The two lateral smaller faces with respectively a hunting dog and a stag. The two larger lateral faces with an ostrich and a fox. The reverse, with a hunter, standing, facing left, putting an arrow to his bow. Very fine quality and rare type. This specific shape and iconography is referred to the graeco-persian period.

See parallels: J. Boardman, Greek gems and finger rings, pp. 313-317, pl. 893, 906 ss. ; Boardman, Intaglios and rings from a private collection, n. 89; G. M. A. Richter, The engraved gems of the greek, etruscan and romans, part I, n. 517-518. Antiken Gemmen, Band II, Berlin, n. 189-190.

U.K., private collection 70's, in the same family since then.