A Roman Yellow Jasper Intaglio of Apollo, Roman Imperial Period, ca 1st - 2nd century CE

This yellow jasper intaglio presents a confident and elegantly composed image of Apollo. Shown in profile, the god wears a radiate headdress, a feature that became increasingly prominent in the Imperial period as his solar and cosmic associations grew. His cloak is gathered around the lower body, leaving the upper torso bare in a manner typical of early Roman glyptic. An altar stands behind him, placing the scene within a ritual setting rather than a purely symbolic one. Apollo holds a long staff or scepter in his left hand, while in his right he raises a slender laurel spray. Laurel is the attribute most closely tied to his identity, signaling purification, prophetic insight, renewal, and divine favor. Its presence here reinforces the impression of Apollo not simply as a figure of artistic refinement but as an active divine force who presides over prophecy, healing, music, and protective clarity.

The intaglio is mounted in an antique Georgian 14K rose gold ring with a beaded bezel and shaped shoulders that frame the stone without compromising its classical character. The warm tone of the gold complements the amber hue of the jasper and completes the piece as an elegant wearable object while preserving its ancient significance. 

Medium: yellow jasper, 14K rose gold (Georgian period) 

Dimensions: US ring size 9 (UK=R 1/2, DE=20, CH=18, FR=59.5, EU=59.5, JP=18), Bezel length: 7/8 inch (2.2 cm).

Condition: The intaglio is intact and in excellent overall condition. It has been set in an antique Georgian 14K rose gold ring.

Provenance: Private collection of Ambassador Morris Draper (1928–2005) and Mrs. Roberta Hornig Draper (1933–2021), acquired in Israel in the 1970s. Ambassador Draper served the U.S. Department of State for more than 35 years in senior diplomatic posts across the Near East, Europe, and East Asia, including Consul General in Jerusalem and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. A central figure in the Camp David Peace Accords and the 1979 Israel–Egypt Peace Treaty, he later acted as President Reagan’s Special Middle East Envoy in negotiations concerning the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon.