BYZANTINE CITRINE INTAGLIO OF A CHI-RHO IN GOLD RING

Ca. AD 600. A citrine intaglio engraved with a Chi-Rho monogram, combining the Greek letters chi and rho as an abbreviation of Christ’s name, with alpha and omega flanking the symbol in reference to Christ as the beginning and the end. The intaglio is set in a possibly later gold ring with an oval bezel framed by a beaded border, a plain raised mount, paired gold pellets at the shoulders, and a rounded hoop. Size: D:15.39mm / US: 4 1/2 / UK: I 1/2; Weight: 3.7g Provenance: From a private London collection; earlier held in an old family collection formed over the period 1960s–2000.