Brewer's: Cameo

An anaglyph on a precious stone. The anaglyph is when the figure is raised in relief; an intaglio is when the figure is hollowed out. The word cameo means an onyx, and the most famous cameo in the world is the onyx containing the apotheosis of Augustus. These precious stones have two layers of different colours, one serving for the figure, and the other for the ground.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language