ROMAN AMETHYST INTAGLIO DEPICTING VITELLIUS IN HIGH KARAT GOLD RING Ca. AD 70 - 600. An amethyst intaglio engraved with a left-facing male bust identified as Vitellius. He is depicted with a broad forehead, pronounced nose, and deeply incised hairstyle combed forward and crowned with a wreath. Linear grooves define the tunic folds across the shoulder and chest. Set within a raised gold bezel enclosed by a finely twisted wire border. For similar see: Bagot J., El legado de Hefesto: A Memorial to a Private Collection of Ancient Rings and Glyptics, n. 327; Spier J., Byzantium and the West, Jewelry in the First Millennium, cat. 14D. Size: D:17.93mm / US: 7 3/4 / UK: P; Weight: 7.55g Provenance: Private London collection; previously Mintici collection, Belgium 1970s-1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. Reviewed by Sami Fortune, an ancient jewellery specialist.