FINGER RING

Fragment of a gold finger ring with dark blue irregular-shaped setting which is possibly a sapphire. The majority of the hoop is missing and one of the remaining arms of the hoop is twisted and bent. The damage is not new. The hoop comprises of a simple, undecorated gold wire which is soldered to the underside of the bezel with a lap joint. The surviving wire is lozenge-shaped in cross section. The bezel has an irregular, sub-circular shape in plan view which reflects the shape of the setting and a decorative punched border. The maximum diameter of the bezel is 12.17mm and it is 3.67mm deep. On the reverse of the bezel is a gold pellet which is almost flush with the surface of the reverse. The bezel has a pie-dish cross section with the setting bulging above the bezel. The setting has a natural sub triangular shape in plan view with a maximum length of approximately 8.4mm. The setting is highly polished and is dark blue/black in natural light. The maximum thickness of the bezel and setting is 5.72mm which increases to approximately 11.0mm when including the longest remaining arm of the hoop. Maximum length of the bezel and remaining hoop is 18.73mm. Maximum diameter is 12.17mm. Weight: 2.05g.

The ring is similar to an example illustrated in Egan & Pritchard (1991, fig 215 No. 1610 & plate 2) recovered during archaeological excavation in London and dated, by ceramic chronology, to the second half of the 14th century. Similar rings are recorded under references LVPL-714215 (2007 T374) and  LEIC-C03C23 (2012 T245); other bezels with a serrated edge are found on rings recorded at ESS-12A8FB, NMS-67A7E3, NMS-E04116, ESS-79057F, etc.