Stamp cabochon; Roman Empire, 2nd century A.D.

Seal cabochon; Roman Empire, 2nd century AD.
Blood jasper.
Measurements: 12 x 8 mm.

A cabochon seal with lateral perforation, decorated with the figure of a bearded character, depicted frontally or in profile according to the Roman glyptic tradition.

Roman cabochon seals were used as instruments of authentication and personal identification, applied on documents, wax tablets or rings. The representation of bearded characters may allude to authority figures, philosophers or mythological characters, reflecting status, knowledge or symbolic power. Blood jasper, appreciated for its intense color and resistance, was a common material for seals for personal and official use in the Roman Empire.