1072 - Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Goddess Hecate. 1st-2nd century A.D. Ellipsoid in plan with intaglio standing robed figure of Hecate, her heads facing left and right, with six arms; holding the leashes of two dogs standing to either side of her, with birds in the field; chipped; supplied with a museum-quality impression. Cf. a similar gemstone with Hecate in Delatte A., Derchain, Ph., Les Intailles magiques gr co- gyptiennes, Paris, 1964, no.254. 0.65 grams, 13 mm (1/2 in.). [No Reserve]

Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Goddess Hecate. 1st-2nd century A.D. Ellipsoid in plan with intaglio standing robed figure of Hecate, her heads facing left and right, with six arms; holding the leashes of two dogs standing to either side of her, with birds in the field; chipped; supplied with a museum-quality impression. Cf. a similar gemstone with Hecate in Delatte A., Derchain, Ph., Les Intailles magiques gr co- gyptiennes, Paris, 1964, no.254. 0.65 grams, 13 mm (1/2 in.). [No Reserve] From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. Hecate, the goddess of the Underworld, is often represented with 6 arms: the uppermost hands holding torches, the middle hands holding daggers, and the lowermost hands holding whips. Hecate was a chthonic (underworld) goddess. As the holder of the keys that can unlock the gates between realms, she could unlock the gates of death, as described in a 3rd-century B.C. poem by Theocritus. In the 1st century AD, Virgil described the entrance to hell as 'Hecate's Grove', though he says that Hecate is equally 'powerful in Heaven and Hell.' TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists. See our website for more information.