Janice Grzyb

You may be familiar with cameo jewelry, the intricate relief carvings often depicting portraits or delicate floral motifs, but have you ever heard of lava cameos? 

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Cooled lava deposits left in the wake of Mount Vesuvius, the Italian volcano responsible for the destruction of Pompeii in 79 AD served as the inspiration for the development of lava cameos. During the Victorian era, young upper-class men across Europe embarked on what’s known as the Grand Tour, a right of passage traveling the continent with the aim of gaining an appreciation for the arts and cultural impact of classical antiquity. As Pompeii was being excavated during this time, the ancient Roman city frozen in time drew in travelers who purchased cameos as a popular souvenir.

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Known for their fine detail, lava cameos feature idealized portraits of women and mythological figures. The typical rock deposits from years of eruptions, referred to as volcanic breccia, has been questioned by researchers for its use in typical lava cameos as the cooled lava results in stones which are porous, textured, and include fragments of other rocks. It is instead suggested that the consistently smooth, and uniformly colored cameos are actually made from local stone or compressed volcanic ash. The lava moniker may ultimately have served to be a marketing term.

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Typical cameo jewelry tends to be made from materials that have bands of color like shell and agate, in which the carved portrait is often realized in all white against the naturally colored background of the medium it was carved from. Lava cameos on the other hand, with their signature variety of greyish brown tones, require deeper carvings to create highs and lows of shadow bringing beautiful details to life.

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This wonderful medium results in storied pieces embodying a sense of antiquated elegance. If you have an idea for a piece that takes inspiration from the historic craft of lava cameos feel free to reach out, we’d love to work with you.