1841.] Description of some Ancient Gems and Seals, fyc. 149 



same personage engraved upon his seals.* Such at least is my opinion, 

 which is greatly strengthened by the beauty and depth of the engraving, 

 and by the peculiar mode of representing the short curly hair, which is 

 the very same style that we see upon the tetradrachms of Euthydemus. 



No. 3. A red cornelian, much worn and slightly fractured below, 

 having a bare youthful head to the left, with a scarcely perceptible beard 

 and long curling hair, with the chlamys fastened upon his shoulder. The 

 execution of this seal is very beautiful ; and the relief is bold, deep and 

 highly polished. It was procured at Lucknow, but I am not sure that it 

 may not owe its origin to modern Europe ; the antique chlamys, however, 

 gives it a delightful claim to be considered ancient, which the beauty of 

 its workmanship makes me unwilling to dispute. 



No. 4. A small red cornelian, purchased at Amritsir. Its execution is 

 very inferior, and shows that it must belong to a declining period of the 

 arts in Bactria. It represents Mercury half turned to the left, with his 

 chlamys or short cloak over his shoulders, his caduceus in his left hand, 

 and an undecided object in his right hand. 



No. 5. A Sulimani, or light brown translucent agate, having a middle 

 layer of milkwhite chalcedony, from Benares. It is of excellent make, 

 but is very much worn, only a few strokes of a long inscription being now 

 visible. On it are represented two standing figures, male and female. 

 The female to the left is clothed to the feet, her head is surmounted by a 

 basket, and encircled by a halo— she holds in her left hand a cornucopia, 

 and in her right a torch, under which is an undecided object, resembling 

 a bird. To the right the male figure is clothed to the knees, — his head 

 dress is surmounted by a pair of wings, and his head encircled by a halo : 

 he holds a trident in his left hand, and his right hand is raised towards 

 the cornucopia held by the female figure. Between the two figures is 

 a pitcher, and over them an indistinct object. 



The two figures on this gem are, I believe, from their peculiar emblems 

 and attributes, Osiris and Isis, or the Sun and Moon, as deified by the 

 Egyptians. Though the worship of these divinities was popular enough 

 in later Rome, yet I think it was never so amongst the Greeks, and more 

 especially not amongst the distant Greeks of Bactria ; wherefore I am 



* Since writing the above, I have received from Capt. Hay, impressions of two cop- 

 per coins of Demetrius, both of which have the head ofHevcules bare and bearded as 

 on this seal, and with the club behind the head. I am therefore inclined to believe 

 that the bare and bearded head on the copper coins of Euthydemus is that of Hercules. 

 The discovery of these coins of Demetrius bearing precisely the same type as the seal, 

 in my opinion almost confirms the correctness of what I ha\e advanced as to the period 

 when this may have been executed. 



