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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 9784220, member: 5833&quot;]Lead seems most probable to me, since it is an impression from both sides of an engraved gem, something like a seal, and you say it is heavy for size.</p><p><br /></p><p>I don&#039;t know how to date it other than to observe that there was a passion for ancient gems in the 18th &amp; 19th centuries.&nbsp; But for all I know it is a 20th century museum souvenir.&nbsp; Interesting that it was with Catholic medals.&nbsp; Someone was covering their bases.</p><p><br /></p><p>You&#039;ve been researching, so you&#039;ll know all this, but for the rest of the community, Abraxas (or Abrasax, which is used interchangeably &amp; is what is written on this piece) originated in Egypt, picked up some elements from Judaism, continued west to Greece, so of course to the Roman empire.&nbsp; The Greek letters IAW invoke the name of Yahweh.&nbsp; They appear here on the obverse under the figure and on the reverse above the name Abrasax.</p><p><br /></p><p>The rooster-headed figure itself is seen by scholars as Abraxas as a soldier, with a whip in one hand and a shield in the other.&nbsp; Figures that are bifurcated this way are &#039;anguiped&#039;; this is Abarasax anguipedes.</p><p><br /></p><p>The inscription on the back is encircled by an ouroboros, a snake devouring itself, symbol of the continual renewal of the world.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is the sort of thing that was popular for watch fobs.&nbsp;&nbsp; That could account for at least one of the holes.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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