BYZANTINE CARNELIAN AMULET WITH CHRIST AND GREEK INSCRIPTION IN GOLD PENDANT. Ca. AD 600 A carnelian amulet carved in intaglio with a nimbate Christ standing frontally, holding a book in the left hand and extending the right in blessing over a smaller kneeling figure, the surrounding field filled with lines of Greek inscription abbreviating the Gospel account of the healing of the woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34), used as an amuletic prayer for relief from such bleeding; the stone set in a possibly later gold pendant with a ropework border and a ribbed suspension loop above. Size: 40mm x 26mm; Weight: 8.65g. Provenance: Private London collection; previously part of an early 2000s UK ancient art collection; formerly in the collection of G.M., prior to 1996. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. For similar see: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Object Number: 17.190.491. This piece is accompanied by an authentication statement by Sami Fortune, ancient jewellery specialist.