A carved gemstone where the design is engraved or carved into the object so that it sits below the surface plane of the material. This technique was often used for seal matrices, which were used to create a raised impression in wax used to seal a letter or authenticate a document.
A Roman intaglio remounted in the Early Saxon period and made into a pendant. The pendant was found on the site of Harford Park and Ride. NWHCM 1994.5.235:A (© NCC)