Rights Holder: The British Museum
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Unique ID: DENO-9A6C17
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
CORONER'S REPORT
Description of Find
The ring is substantially gold and consists of a broad, punch-decorated band tapering sharply at each end to wire terminals which were originally twisted together; width, 26 mm. On either side of a very worn, beaded median rib the ring is decorated with two rows of interlocking punched triangles with triple pellets in each. The ring has been distorted while in the ground and the ends are now almost untwisted as a result.
Discussion
Both the form of the ring and the punched decoration are typical of Viking jewellery of the late 9th-10th centuries AD and a punch-decorated gold ring of broadly similar form has been found at Thetford (see discussion of the gold ring from Beachamwell, Norfolk in the DCMS Treasure Annual Report 2004, no. 86). Triple-pelleted triangles were used on a Viking silver ring from Moreton Bagot, Warwickshire (DCMS Treasure Annual Report 2002, no. 53).
The ring from near Newark would therefore qualify as Treasure under two of the stipulated criteria of the Treasure Act: it is more than 300 years old and the precious metal content exceeds 10%.
Notes:
Previous Report
Early Medieval Viking gold finger ring, 9th-10th century. Ovoid gold strip which tapers sharply to wire termials which are wound around each other. The outer surface of the strip is decorated with four lines of closely-spaced punched triple-pelleted triangles (one line at either edge, and and flanking a median line) - the lines merge at the shoulders. The back of the ring has been bent towards the front. Width of terminals c. 0.8-1.0mm, thickness of terminals c.1.0mm.
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Current location of find: The British Museum
Subsequent action after recording: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2007T254
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 1000
Quantity: 1
Length: 26.16 mm
Width: 12.76 mm
Thickness: 1.15 mm
Weight: 6.14 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 20th April 2007
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Other reference: Derby E5626 ; Treasure no. 2007 T254
Treasure case number: 2007T254
Primary material: Gold
Completeness: Complete
Surface Treatment: Stamped
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.