The term intaglio refers to a small image that has been engraved into a gemstone and usually set in a piece of jewellery, most commonly a ring. During the Hellenistic period and the early Roman Empire, the art of intaglio reached its apogee, with there being a steady decline in craftsmanship during Late Imperial Rome, until a revival of interest with the Byzantines and during the Renaissance.
Fortuna, the daughter of Jupiter and Greek counterpart Tyche, is the goddess of good luck, fortune and prosperity. The cornucopia, represented by a horn which was endlessly overflowing with fruits and vegetables, symbolised Fortuna’s attribute of many gifts of fortune. The ship’s rudder, another popular attribute, was used to control fate, whether that be good or bad. Fortuna’s cult was widespread across the Roman Empire, she was acknowledged publicly for the protection of the state but also privately for voyages and individual fates. Many would worship Fortuna on the 1st of January in the hope the goddess would bless the new year. She had many temples placed around the Empire and was worshipped by all including soldiers, low class, upper class and even the Emperor, each for individual prosperity and good fortune.
