貴石印章

前4―前2世紀
カーネリアン、紫水晶、瑪瑙
a：高4.0 cm　幅2.8 cm　厚0.5 cm　b：高1.6 cm　幅1.3 cm　厚0.3 cm
c：高1.8 cm　幅1.5 cm　厚0.6 cm　d：高2.2 cm　幅1.6 cm　厚0.4 cm
e：高2.3 cm　幅2.7 cm　厚1.0 cm　f：高1.5 cm　幅1.7 cm　厚0.7 cm
g：高1.9 cm　幅2.6 cm　厚1.0 cm　h：高1.5 cm　幅2.1 cm　厚0.5 cm
　aとbは楕円形のカーネリアンの表面に左向きに立つアテナ女神の姿を刻んでいる。アテナは袖なしの長いキトンを着て胸の下にベルトを締め、アッチカ型のヘルメットを被り、左手に槍、右手に盾を持っている。Bはアテナの左にギリシャ文字Ｚが刻まれ、右側に銘文が見られるが、中間が欠けており判読できない。
　Cは楕円形の紫ががった石英珠に、やや左側を向く女性の胸像が刻まれている。女性は花の頭飾、首飾、イヤリングを付けている。しかし鼻の下に髭のような表現が見られ、男性の表現とも解釈できる。
　Dは楕円形の瑪瑙珠に右向きの女性頭部が刻まれている。その頭部の上には三日月形の頭飾がつけられ、大きめのイヤリングを付けている。
　Eは楕円形の白玉髄珠に面をとり、右向きのグリフィンが鹿の頭部を銜える場面が刻まれている。楕円の長軸には穴があけられ、これに金属製の環が通されていたと思われる。作行きは一級のギリシャの職人のものであり、アレクサンダー大王の時代に近い頃のイオニア派の職人の手になるものと思われる。
　Fとgは楕円形の乳濁した石英珠に面をとり、右向きの鹿の姿が刻まれている。Fの鹿は座っており、gは立っている。楕円の長軸には穴があけられ、これに金属製の環が通されていたと思われる。
　Hは楕円形の琥珀に似た玉髄に面をとり、右に歩む虎を刻んでいる。虎は体躯に沿った縦縞が施され、その背中には鳥がとまっている。

4th‐2nd century B.C.
Carnelian, amethyst, agate
(a)H. 4.0 cm, W. 2.8 cm, Thickness. 0.5 cm(b)H. 1.6 cm, W. 1.3 cm, Thickness. 0.3 cm
cH. 1.8 cm, W. 1.5 cm, Thickness. 0.6 cm(d)H. 2.2 cm, W. 1.6 cm, Thickness. 0.4 cm
(e)H. 2.3 cm, W. 2.7 cm, Thickness. 1.0 cm(f)H. 1.5 cm, W. 1.7 cm, Thickness. 0.7 cm
(g)H. 1.9 cm, W. 2.6 cm, Thickness. 1.0 cm(h)H. 1.5 cm, W. 2.1 cm, Thickness. 0.5 cm
(a), (b) Both stones are oval carnelians carved with standing figures of the goddess Athena facing to the left. The figure is shown wearing a long sleeveless chiton belted below the waist. She wears an Attic-style helmet, and carries a shield in her spear in her left hand and a shield in her right hand. Seal b has the Greek letter for Z carved to the left of Athena and an inscription carved on the right side of the stone. The middle of inscription is missing and it cannot be deciphered.
c A violet quartz oval is carved with the bust image of a female facing slightly to the left. The woman wears a floral garland, necklace and earrings. There seems to be a mustache-like form beneath her nose, so the figure could also be interpreted as that of a male.
(d) An oval piece of agate is carved with a female head facing to the right. A crescent-shaped decoration rises above the head and the figure is wearing large earrings. This figure supposed to be Selene, the goddess of the moon.
(e) The level surface of an oval-shaped white-smoked chalzedon has been carved with a scene of a griffin facing to the right and grasping onto the head of a deer. The oval is pierced horizontally, and it is thought that this stone was originally strung on a gold circlet. The workmanship is that of a first rank Greek artisan, and this piece is thought to have been created by an Ionian artisan near the time of Alexander the Great.
(f), (g) The flat surface of oval pieces of milky quartz have been incised with figures of deer facing to the right. The deer on Seal f is seated, while that on Seal g is standing. The stones are pierced horizontally, and they are thought to have been originally strung on a gold circlet.
(h) An oval piece of amber-like chalzedon has been given a flat surface which was then carved with an image of a tiger walking to the right. The tiger's body is decorated with stripes and a bird sits on his back.