Ancient Roman ring with capricorn intaglio, circa 3rd century AD.

Property of a gentleman; acquired in the late 1960s-early 1970s.

This ring is in fine condition, commensurate with its age.

Capricorn is a a hybrid creature with the body of a goat in the front and the tail of a fish. In Greek mythology, its origins were explained through two legends: one linked it to Amalthea, the goat who nursed the infant Zeus and whose broken horn became the cornucopia, symbol of abundance; another connected it to Aegipan, or Pan, who, fleeing the monster Typhon, leapt into a river and partially transformed, taking the form of a goat above and a fish below. The globe at its feet, symbolises cosmic order, fate, and the cycles of the heavens.

This ring was likely worn by an individual who sought the sea-goat's protection, invoking its associations with prosperity and transformation.