Gem depicting Venus or a maenad with a satyr,

late 2nd century BCE

These objects had three main functions for the Etruscans: to act as a signature when used as a seal, to protect the wearer, and to decorate one’s body. The ancient practice of engraving gems began in Mesopotamia around 5000 BCE and spread throughout the Mediterranean, often within broader networks of cultural and artistic exchange. Engraved gems became popular on the Italian peninsula during a period of increased contact between Etruria and Greece in which Etruscan artists adopted techniques, forms, and subjects employed by their Greek counterparts. One of the most common types seen in the Etruscan context is the scarab, which ultimately derived from Egyptian art. In Etruria, however, it was then adorned with typically Greek scenes of myth or nature. Etruscan artisans also developed their own techniques, preferred subjects, and decorative styles. For instance, many Etruscan gems are identifiable by a rope-like border created by overlapping spherical shapes.