Ancient Carnelian Intaglio Necklace

Perhaps among the oldest pieces of jewelry we've ever had, we believe this carnelian intaglio pendant might have come from ancient Rome! A lion is carved into the thick oval shaped stone, framed by a crudely carved ring that the lion can not be contained in– its paws interrupting the ring's completion. This kind of intaglio has been reproduced to look like the original ancient pieces in recent centuries, though they are typically done in finer quality stones, with more precision. This piece is clearly hand-carved, and the worn chips around the edges of the stone indicates a long life of wear. We could be wrong, but this certainly seems like an original ancient Roman piece! It is strung on a 14k gold chain that dates back to the mid 20th century. The rope chain measures 14 inches long, allowing the pendant to sit beautifully centered on the collar. The carnelian stone measures about 7/8 x 1 inch. Inventory# P03670