Cameo (also Camée, Kameo/Cameo) is the expression for a stone cut produced as a raised relief from a precious stone, lava rock or a mollusc bowl in which the increased part usually stands out from the deeper part of the stone more brightly due to different tintings (colour layers) of the stone. Unlike the cameo the motive is cut recessedly into the stone at a cameo. Cameos often had a representative character in comparison with cameos. You were particularly valued precious stones which was hardly taken hold in rings but were used in various other jewellery (drop earringses, diadems, neck and chest chains etc..) Also for small box mounting and the decorating of living spaces one could use her, primarily such -- this one with the picture of the Gorgo should fend off Medusa disaster and the "evil view".

Cameos have been known since the 4th century v. Chr. You experienced a heyday both in the renaissance and in the 17th or 18th centuries. The production technique of the cameos is ischen Alexandria from the ptolem?. The Hellenistic and late also conquered the Roman world from there, you, however, attained never the distribution and popularity of the cameos.

There are different traditions, such as from the Persian chumahäu, for the origin of the concept, in medieval Latin one finds this word camahatus. Derived in the Italian chama, the mussel, from the Muschelcaméen.

One has used different derivations in the German-speaking room since the 14th century: gamah, gammaho, gämahü, gamähinstein, gamaphe, camache, camaie, camme, cammée. From this can be recognized how difficult it was and still is to find the right definition in the language labyrinth.