Elaide

The word cameo comes from the Arabic gama which means “flower bud”. Still today, it is processed following the secular tradition. Artisans begin with the incision of a stratified stone (or a shell, particularly the Cassis from the South Seas), with two distinct layers of color. So, they can clearly isolate the figure in relief from the background. In Italy the most prestigious cameos are made by master engravers of Torre del Greco. The cameo can be compared to a miniature sculpture.