Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
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Unique ID: LANCUM-3590E1
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Late 15th or early 16th century silver-gilt ring with much of the gilding worn off. The engraving is very crude. The hoop has spiralled bands enclosing either a geometrical pattern or imitation letters, defined by the hatching or more commonly by the spaces between the hatching. One side of the bezel depicts a figure which at first sight appears to be a naked female - possibly Eve? It may be a figure holding something pressed to their abdomen and chest, such as Saint Barbara holding a tower or another saint holding the emblem of martyrdom. The other side of the bezel depicts two spaces, one decorated with a simple cross, the other with a symbol resembling the sun or a star? If this is an iconographic ring depicting a certain saint or event, it is very difficult to understand the symbolism.
Similar finger-rings with transverse panels of decoration can be seen at LIN-2F6F65, NLM-124B3E, KENT-962EE3, BERK-BCBDF5, SUR-91E496, SUR-324774, SUSS-603855 and ESS-0544C7.
Notes:
The ring was found before the Treasure Act of 1996 came into effect; however, the finder sent images to specialists from the British Museum in and received the result of their analysis in 1997.
Class: iconographic
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1400
Date to: Circa AD 1550
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight: 5.76 g
Diameter: 22 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 1st January 1997
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Grid reference source: Centred on village (which isn't a parish)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.