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Lot 290
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Roman 22 K+ Gold Repousse Pendant - Eagle & Serpent, 0.9 g
Roman 22 K+ Gold Repousse Pendant - Eagle & Serpent, 0.9 g
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Rome, Imperial period, ca. 27 to 476 CE. A gold eagle locks its talons around a serpent on this Roman repousse pendant, the bird's wings thrown wide in the posture of absolute dominion that Roman imperial imagery made universal. Worked in very high-purity gold, the disc is formed by repousse, its surface pushed outward from behind to build the eagle's body, spread pinions, and coiling prey into low but legible relief. The obverse presents the composition in full: the bird faces left in profile while its head turns sharply right, a torsion that animates the figure with predatory alertness. The reverse, flatter and more matte in surface texture, retains the ghost of the composition in intaglio, as repousse technique demands. A twisted wire border encircles the disc, its rope-like bead pattern a recurring motif in Roman gold jewelry that defines the field while adding tactile richness. A simple loop bail, formed from a rolled strip of the same high-karat gold, suspends the pendant from its cord. Size of pendant: 0.625" W x 0.875" H (1.6 cm W x 2.2 cm H); quality of gold: 98.24% (equivalent to about 23.6 karats); weight of pendant: 0.9 grams; size of cord: 22" L (55.9 cm L)

The eagle bearing a serpent was among the most charged images in the Roman visual vocabulary. As the attribute of Jupiter, the aquila embodied divine authority and cosmic order; its appearance on personal adornment carried apotropaic weight as readily as it expressed loyalty to the imperial cult. Whether this pendant was worn as a devotional object, a statement of allegiance, or simply an emblem of protective power, the choice of near-pure gold for its fabrication signals that its owner moved in circles where such signals mattered.

Provenance: private Grafton, Wisconsin, USA collection; ex-Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA; ex-Phoenicia Holyland Antiquities, New York, USA; ex-private East Coast collection, USA, acquired March 22, 2007

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Item # 202769

  • Condition: Very Good. Ancient pendant strung on a modern cord and clasp to be wearable. Pendant is very slightly bent and has been cleaned in modern times. Otherwise, very nice with good remaining detail.

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by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000