ETYM It cammeo; akin to French camée, camaďeu, Spanish camafeo, Late Lat. camaeus, camahutus; of unknown origin.
Engraving or carving in relief.r /> Small relief carving of semiprecious stone, shell, or glass, in which a pale-colored surface layer is carved to reveal a darker ground. Fine cameos were produced in ancient Greece and Rome, during the Renaissance, and in the Victorian era. They were used for decorating goblets and vases, and as jewelry.