A Finely Set Ring with an Engraved Period Jasper Intaglio

A Finely Set Ring with an Engraved Period Jasper Intaglio Depicting a Portrait of the Roman Empress Julia Domna
Gold, jasper
Roman Empire
3rd Century AD

Size: 58 (EU) Q 3/4 (UK) 8 1/2 (US)
Weight: 6.3 grams

Provenance:
Ex French collection
Ex Private collection

The gemstone depicts the empress in profile, her distinctive hairstyle of deeply ridged waves elegantly styled into a chignon. The portrait’s serene yet authoritative expression embodies the equilibrium between intellect and power for which Julia Domna was renowned. The intaglio is encased in an ornate oval gold mount, its edge granulated, and flanked by clusters of globules at the shoulders secured by a four-ply twisted gold wire hoop. This refined construction exemplifies the craftsmanship characteristic of high-ranking Roman jewellery from the Severan period. For comparison, a comparable intaglio of Julia Domna is housed in the collection of the Walters Art Museum (acc. no. 42.1218).
Julia Domna (160 - 217 AD), the wife of Emperor Septimius Severus and the mother of Caracalla and Geta, held extraordinary political influence. Revered for her intellectual prowess and diplomatic skills, she became the embodiment of imperial virtue. Rings featuring her image served not only as personal adornments but also as potent symbols of dynastic loyalty and feminine authority within the empire’s ruling elite.

Ex French collection
Ex Private collection

A Finely Set Ring with an Engraved Period Jasper Intaglio