High Carat Gold Ring Set with a Roman Magical Jasper Intaglio.
Roman intaglio: 1st–2nd century AD.
Mount: 20th century.
Measurements
Ring size: O UK / 7.25 US / 55 EU
Bezel: 2.3 × 1.8 cm
Intaglio: 1.8 × 1.5 cm
Weight: 5.16 grams
This high carat gold ring is set with a Roman dark red and green jasper intaglio of the 1st–2nd century AD, engraved with an unusually complex magical scene. The upper register presents three temple façades with domed roofs, flanked by small altars and a centrally placed palm frond. In the lower register, a marine tableau unfolds: a cupid riding a dolphin to the left, an octopus at the centre, and a heron catching a fish to the right. A historic chip to the left edge of the stone is characteristic of a gem that was likely prized from its original mount in antiquity.
The imagery draws on themes characteristic of Roman magical glyptic, combining sacred architecture, vegetal emblems, and aquatic creatures in a composite design intended to invoke protection, fertility, and cosmic order. The cupid and dolphin motif suggests beneficent guidance and safe passage, while the surrounding marine life evokes the generative and liminal properties of the sea. Jasper, esteemed in antiquity for its talismanic virtues, further supports the intaglio’s apotropaic role. The gem is mounted in a 20th-century gold ring, reflecting the continued tradition of incorporating Classical elements into modern settings for preservation and display.
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