Bidspirit auction | A GREEK CARNELIAN SCARAB GEM

A GREEK CARNELIAN SCARAB GEM ENGRAVED WITH A DOLPHIN, POSSIBLY CIRCA 5TH–4TH CENTURY BC. - A finely carved Greek carnelian scarab gem, possibly dating to the 5th–4th century BC, engraved with the elegant image of a dolphin in profile. The intaglio is rendered with fluid, confident lines, capturing the graceful movement of the animal, a motif closely associated with the sea, protection, prosperity and the god Apollo in the Classical Greek world. The reverse is smoothly domed and carefully polished in the traditional scarab form.