Through all ages glass offered a material for imitating, and substituting gems. For these glass-pastes a mold of an intaglio or a cameo was pressed in clay to cast the glass, which, after cooling, was brought into its final shape by refining with tools.

The oldest engravings on gems originated from about 5000 to 3000 B.C. The Hittites, Egytians , Assyrians, Persians and the ancient Greeks are worth mentioning for their art of carving gems. Remarkable works were accomplished by Greek artists for members of the Roman noble class during the time of early emperors. Famous examples are the Gemma Augustea ( Vienna ) and a sardonyx representing the triumph of Germanicus ( Paris ).

Since the time of Constantine the Great engravings on gems representing religious subjects were made in Byzantium. Our knowledge of ancient glyptograhpy is based on the collections of the important museums and on the abundance of gems in pieces of medieval jewelry. Although these gems are mostly pre-christian cameos re-used in christian objects.

Towards the middle of the 19th century a rapid decline of glytography began and the interest in carved gems was lost. Nowadays the noble art of glytography is mastered only by a small number of artists. A revival of glytography would certainly ad an element of special delicacy to the pictorial arts of today.

Resume of a text by Mister Heinz Goebbler, published in the " Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Edelsteinkunde. Idar-Oberstein 1957 "

An interesting revival of this handcraft is on the way. Worldwide a growing number of very competent artists create astonishing engravings and gemstone sculptures.
Hubert Heldner   August 2001