Roman Signet Ring

• The Romans signed their documents with an Intaglio on a gold ring.
• The Intaglio was a semi-precious Gemstone, usually engraved, attached to a ring made of Gold or Silver.

Use on Legal Documents

• The image engraved in the Gemstone was either of a God or had a mythological motif.
• When pressed into wax to create a seal, they left a distinctive raised image.
• The Intaglio formed part of a unique Signet Ring conferring the authority of the Individual Roman Official on Documents.

Imperial Signet Ring

• This was the Official Seal for State Documents.
• The Roman Emperors usually used an impression of themselves on the Intaglio.
• Augustus first used the image of a Sphinx, then of Alexander the Great, and eventually a portrait of himself.
• Hadrian's Signet Ring bore a portrait of Augustus.
• The Imperial Seal Ring was kept by a dedicated official known as the ‘Cura Annuli’.