The art of engraving gemstones has been admired since the early days of the Roman empire. It was revived in Europe during the Renaissance, and again in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cameos and intaglios were prized and collected, sometimes as symbols of power and mounted in jewelled settings, sometimes as small objects for private devotion or enjoyment. When this cameo was acquired by the Museum in 1937 it was assumed to date from the 1st century BC. In fact it was made in the late 18th century, when there was a widespread revival of ancient Greek and Roman art. The engraver shaped the stone to resemble an archaeological fragment and gave the face a deliberately antique profile.