Classical Engraved Gems from Turkey and Elsewhere: The Wright Collection

The diplomat and writer on Persia, Sir Denis Wright developed his interest in intagli while serving in Trebizond in 1941. His collection of 59 items, catalogued in depth here for the first time, is of particular importance and interest as the provenance of about 40 of the engraved gems is known: more than 30 were acquired in Turkey and 8 come from Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia. There are also several unusual gems among those without a provenance. The Turkish material includes the earliest gem in the collection, a rare 5th century BC Phoenician green jasper scarab from the Black Sea area. The catalogue features indices on materials, provenances, subjects, and inscriptions.

The diplomat and writer on Persia, Sir Denis Wright developed his interest in intagli while serving in Trebizond in 1941. His collection of 59 items, catalogued in depth here for the first time, is of particular importance and interest as the provenance of about 40 of the engraved gems is known: more than 30 were acquired in Turkey and 8 come from Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia. There are also several unusual gems among those without a provenance. The Turkish material includes the earliest gem in the collection, a rare 5th century BC Phoenician green jasper scarab from the Black Sea area. The catalogue features indices on materials, provenances, subjects, and inscriptions.