Chalcedony gem: Ouroboros encircling bust, Greek text and characteres

PP-ID:

PP-1714

Classification:

gem, magical

Collection ID:

DE-Hamburg-Skoluda_M025

Collection:

Hamburg, Skoluda Collection

Collection Inventory:

M025

Reference Numbers:

Michel 2001, no. 99; Michel, DMG, no. 28.5_1; CBd, no. 1714

Material:

chalcedony, white to brown/grey

Dimensions:

34 × 30 × 10 mm (S. Michel)

Iconography:

Ouroboros, lion-headed; bust

Divine Names & Voces:

Ἰάω; νυχευα and variants; βολβαχ and variants; vocales; βακαξιχυχ and variants; οκεραταγας and variants

Provenience:

Beirut

Light brown chalcedony gem. Transverse oval, both sides convex, the reverse more so. The lower left edge of side A is a recent restoration.
Allegedly from Beirut (Mouterde 1930, 73).

Side A: Ouroboros with lion-head at top, facing left, enclosing a Greek inscription in two lines: ιαω|παντωνδεσποτησ → Ἰάω πάντων δεσπότης 'Iao, Lord of all'. Below, on the left, a bust in profile to left, and an X-shaped character beside it. Beneath is a further ιαω, and below this three additional characteres. Around the edge, outside the ouroboros, a Greek inscription begins above the lion-head: νυχευαβολβαχοιοαηιουευεαηουαηιβακα̣χο̣κεραταγασ → νυχευα, βολβαχ, vocales, βακαξιχυχ, οκεραταγας.
Side B: Undecorated.

Reading is based on close observation of the gem by Á. M. Nagy, 2025.

Selected bibliography
• Mouterde 1930 >>, 72–74, no. 7, fig. 7, pl. II.3.
• Michel 2001 >>, 92, no. 99; click here for the full-text excerpt (post-antique?).
• Michel, DMG >>, no. 28.5_1.