FINGER RING

A complete wrought copper alloy ring, probably the finger ring of a child, of unknown dating.

The ring is circular in plan, and circular in cross section. It consists of a drawn copper alloy wire wrapped and fixed together to form a solid unbroken ring. A small swelling is present where the two ends of the wire overlap and have been welded together. Small transverse scratch marks are present, where the ring has been filed and polished, but other than these, no signs of decoration are apparent.

The ring is a dark green colour, with an even patina. It measures 17.32mm external diameter, 13.87mm internal diameter, 1.96mm deep and 1.88mm thick. It weighs 0.9 grams.

The size and thickness of the ring would suggest that it was originally a finger ring, as opposed to harness or strap fitting. The simple and plain style means that it is relatively undiagnostic in dating and could date from the Roman period to the Post Medieval period.

A slightly smaller, but equally simple and plain copper alloy ring was published as #1744 on p. 47 by Crummy (1983), and that was dated to Late Period 6 (300 - 400+ AD) or Anglo-Saxon. Another similar sized but still plain, and made from wire ring was published by Pritchard (1991), as #1625 on p.332. That ring was dated to Period 12 (c.1400-c.1450 AD).

Reference:
Crummy, N. 1983 The Roman Small finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-9. Colchester Archaeological Reports 2. Colchester. Colchester Archaeological Trust.

Egan, G. & Pritchard F. 1991 Dress Accessories 1150 - 1450. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London: 3. London. Museum of London/Boydell Press.

Pritchard, F. 1991 Finger Rings in Egan and Pritchard 1991, pp325-335