ancientart:“Remember me, your dear sweetheart, and fare well, Sophronios.”A 5th century
ancientart:“Remember me, your dear sweetheart, and fare well, Sophronios.”A 5th century Roman cameo set into a modern mount. The text given above is translated from the Greek inscription surrounding the central image on the cameo, and is a sentimental message addressing a man. The imagery, the knotted object depicted in particular, though might seem like a strange thing to include, is likely equally sentimental. The Getty elaborates artwork:On this cameo, a hand pinches an earlobe between the thumb and forefinger; above, there is another object, perhaps a knotted scarf or a diadem. […] In Roman art and literature, the ear-tweaking hand is a common motif, signifying a request for attention. Gems such as this were mementos of love, and were probably given as gifts. The knotted object is not common, but very likely it, too, was a symbol of remembrance, its purpose perhaps similar to the modern custom of tying a knot in a handkerchief so as not to forget something important. This style of the lettering on this cameo indicates that it was made no earlier than the 400s A.D. Artefact courtesy of, and can be viewed at The J. Paul Getty Museum, Villa Collection, Malibu, California. Via their online collections: 2001.28.11. -- source link