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FINGER RING
Unique ID: BUC-5DBE84
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
A late medieval silver gilt finger ring. The double bezel measures 8.99mm in width. One side is decorated with an incised feather or possibly a palm leaf. The other side has a roughly incised plant form, possibly a lily. The shoulders are decorated with pairs of oval panels half hatched half plain. These join into a twisted rope-work pattern decorating the underside of the hoop.
Rings of this type, comprising single, double, and triple bezels are quite common from the 15th century. However they most commonly display iconography associated with the litany of saints. See for example British Museum: AF.297; AF925 or AF.926.
If the motifs on the ring are a palm leaf and a lily could be interpreted as Christian symbols i.e. the palm of triumph & martyrdom and the lily for purity.
A ring with a similar construction but a different pattern was found in Lancashire see LANCUM-3590E1. This has been dated 15th-16th century.
The ring was found long before the Treasure Act of 1996 came into effect. It was shown to a local police constable when it was discovered on allotments in 1942 and returned to the finder.
As it was found before 1997 this find will need to be assessed under the Treasure Trove Act; where evidence would have to point to the object having been deliberately hidden with the intention of recovery. The finger-ring is most likely to be a casual loss, therefore does not constitute treasure Trove.
Find of note status
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure
Treasure details
Treasure case tracking number: 2014T117
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1400
Date to: Circa AD 1599
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Width: 8.99 mm
Thickness: 1.48 mm
Weight: 4.98 g
Diameter: 21.56 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 1st January 1942
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Treasure case number: 2014T117
Materials and construction
Primary material: Silver
Secondary material: Gold
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Buckinghamshire (County)
District: Wycombe (District)
To be known as: High Wycombe area
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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