English: Roman gem-set gold ornament, possibly part of a composite brooch.

The oval gold box setting, its upper edge lightly rubbed over the edge of the gem, has vertical sides and a flat base, with large oval central aperture revealing the flat back of the gem. A filigree beaded wire arcaded design runs round the side of the setting with an encircling filigree beaded wire at the base. Four tiny D-shaped flanged projections, symmetrically arranged one centrally on each side (one distorted), comprise a central dome-headed rivet encircled by the basal filigree beaded wire. At the back the base of each rivet is roughly flattened. The tiny gap behind the head suggests that the ornament was attached to a very thin sheet.

The translucent, orange-red, flat, oval gem, finely-engraved with the head of a maenad, has a milky-white inclusion in the regions in front of the mouth and around the neck. The maenad, facing towards the left, has a detailed and carefully-rendered coiffure, with a lock and curly strands descending onto her bare shoulders. The gem closely parallels a slightly smaller example (of red jasper) from the vicus outside the Roman forts at Vindolanda (Henig 1978, no. 287).

Non-destructive surface metal analysis conducted at the British Museum indicated a gold content of 94-97%. The gem was identified as carnelian.

Date: probably 3rd century AD; gem probably 1st - 2nd century AD.