Archaeological Museum of Bologna

The gem is decorated on two faces in evidence of its magical function and not seal: on one side is depicted a lizard, view from the top, with head slightly tilted to one side; on the other is instead
engraved an inscription in greek characters.

More info

Lizard, very common on jaspers, was considered having a healthy influence on eye's diseases. There was a specific method to produce an effective amulet, Plinius and Elianus told us about it. The animal was blind and put in a box with some stones, engraved with lizard's image: after nine days it had to have the sight and stones where fixed in rings, but only employnd the same tools for the lizard's blinding.

Provenance: unkonow
Datation: 3rd-4th century AD
Material: green jasper
Dimensions: mm 13 x 10 x 2,6
Inventory #: Gl 179