Aurelia 35 Report post Posted August 5, 2014 The carved jasper stone, found in Israel, was apparently commissioned by a wealthy man and passed down for generations.A unique gemstone found in Israel that may have adorned a ring has shed light on a little known art in ancient Rome: fine carving. On the floor of a room dating to the early Byzantium period, around 4th century CE, archaeologists spotted a red gemstone beautifully engraved with the figure of a naked running man holding a laurel wreath in one hand. Or maybe he's holding a wreath of olive branches. It's hard to tell. In any case, in the other hand the bare gentleman holds what is clearly a date palm branch. More at Haaretz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites