EARLY IMPERIAL ROMAN CARNELIAN RING-STONE WITH AN INTAGLIO OF A CRAB

The Crab is said to have been put among the stars by the favour of Juno, because, when Hercules had stood firm against the Lernaean Hydra, it had snapped at his foot from the swamp. Hercules, enraged at this, had killed it, and Juno put it among the constellations. 

Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 23 (2nd Century AD)

(trans. M. Grant, Lawrence, Kansas, 1960)

End of the 1st Century BC to early 1st Century AD

Height: 9 mm.     (0 3/8 in.)

Depth: 2 mm.     (0 1/16 in.)

Chipping on the border and light wear marks.

Ex: British private collection, Dr. F. M.-G., thence by descent to N. M.-G. Thence, British private collection of Pro

#5586

Published: 

Antiquarium, Ltd.; Ancient Treasures XIX. (London, 2020) p.28

Comparandum:

Schluter, M, et al; Antike Gemmen in deutschen Sammlungen. Band 4. Hannover, Kestner-Museum. Hamburg, Museum fur Kunst Gewerbe (Wiesbaden, 1975) p.246,no.1299 (taf.178)