Intaglio
A design carved into the surface of a stone, the reverse of a cameo, often used as a seal.
An intaglio is carved into the surface of a stone, so that the design is recessed. Pressed into wax it produces a raised image, which is why intaglios were set in signet rings and fobs as seals. Ancient intaglios in carnelian, garnet and other hardstones were collected and reset in gold in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
What to look for
Ancient intaglios are valuable and should be identified by a specialist. Glass imitations, made in large numbers, are softer and less detailed.
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