Glyptics: The Language of Gems

This cornelian intaglio of Jupiter, found in Cástulo in 2025, has been meticulously cleaned to reveal the Roman engraving. The find highlights Roman artistry and Cástulo's rich history.

This blue glass intaglio shows Jupiter, king of the gods, bearing a lightning bolt and scepter. The intense color evokes lapis lazuli, linking the Olympian sovereign's majesty to its wearer.

This blue onyx gem from the 2nd century AD represents Ceres with an offering of fruit. Despite its fracture, it served as a powerful amulet, symbolizing prosperity and daily sustenance.

This 1st-2nd century AD "nicolo" gem depicts Minerva with an owl's body and a human head. It represents military protection, intelligence and cunning, desirable traits for success in Cástulo's private and public life.

This cornelian intaglio from the 1st-2nd century AD depicts Fortuna, goddess of luck and abundance, with Minerva's helmet, highlighting the fusion of luck and strategic intellect.

Found in 2024, this piece shows Priapus with a patera and his phallic attribute. Far from being merely erotic, it was an amulet against the "evil eye" and a guarantor of plenty: the wearer sought to attract good luck, protect fertility, and ensure the prosperity of the home.

This rock crystal depicts Cupid hunting a bird, symbolizing love as an inescapable force. The jewel reminds its wearer of desire's omnipresent power, from which no one can escape.

A 1st-century cornelian gem depicts a maenad, a follower of Dionysus, wearing the nebris (fawn skin) and carrying the thyrsus of Dionysus. This imagery reflects mystery cults and a belief in resurrection, symbolizing liberation and nature's power.

This 2nd-century AD nicolo shows Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, with her mask and a theatrical column. More than inspiring art, muses guided public figures - this seal embodies the creative spirit of Cástulo.

This chalcedony amulet depicts Chnoubis, a lion-headed deity, holding a serpent staff. It was believed to protect against abdominal and uterine ailments, offering regenerative magic to heal the wearer's body.

This intaglio features Sol, a symbol of imperial unity. The wearer of this seal demonstrated loyalty to a power that even Constantine maintained when embracing Christianity.

In contrast to the classic depictions of Victoria, this agate gem illustrates the deity performing a libation over an altar with a cornucopia, emphasizing her role in religious practices.

This 2nd-century glass paste depicts Aquarius with his characteristic amphora. Found in a Cástulo tabernae, it raises questions: was it a zodiac symbol or a commercial amulet worn by someone in Cástulo?