A Persian Banded Agate Cabochon set as a ring, Achaemenid Empire, ca. 550 - 330 BCE Sculpture - Architectural A shallow rim chip and

A shallow rim chip and a partially restored hair line in the rim

315–294 BCE

his wife exhibits an equally serene expression

and luminous materials

preserving finely incised hieroglyphic inscriptions on multiple faces

A Persian Banded Agate Cabochon set as a ring, Achaemenid Empire, ca. 550 - 330 BCE Sculpture - Architectural A shallow rim chip andThis lovely ring centers on an ancient banded agate cabochon dating to the Achaemenid period. The stone is cut as a high dome and polished to a smooth finish, its natural concentric layers in dark gray and white forming a pronounced eye motif. Across the Persian world, such stones were prized not only for their visual appeal but also for their protective associations. Ancient sources and later traditions describe agate as a powerful talisman. Warriors