Rights Holder: York Museums Trust
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
FINGER RING
Unique ID: YORYM-4F2206
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
A medieval gold finger-ring, each shoulder decorated with two raised quatrefoils, one of which is slightly damaged. The centre is perforated with a circular hole [on the image this looks more like an unperforated recess], which probably once held the bezel, now missing, into which a gem may have been set. The hoop is of D-shaped cross-section.
On the back half of the hoop is an inscription in black-letter script, in French, which reads bien celer cet alouer (to hide [love] well is to accept [it]). One of the principal tenets of amour courtois (courtly love) was to keep the love secret. The finger-ring dates from the late fourteenth or the fifteenth century.
Dimensions: diameter 20.2 mm, width 3 mm, thickness 1.5mm, weight 2 g.
Notes:
In terms of age and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal, it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.
Inscription:
bien celer cet alouer
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure
Treasure details
Treasure case tracking number: 2012T849
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1350
Date to: Circa AD 1500
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Width: 3 mm
Thickness: 1.5 mm
Weight: 2 g
Diameter: 20.2 mm
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Treasure case number: 2012T849
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)County or Unitary authority: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
District: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Cherry Burton (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SE9942
Four figure Latitude: 53.864783
Four figure longitude: -0.496043
1:25K map: SE9942
1:10K map: SE94SE
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
Similar objects
Find number: DENO-5082A6
Object type: FINGER RING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A gold late-medieval finger ring dating to AD c.1400-c.1550. The ring was discovered inside a larger iconographic ring (DENO-508A9A). The rin…
Workflow: Published
Find number: PAS-A36D2D
Object type: FINGER RING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A medieval finger-ring consisting of a wide, flat hoop with an applied beaded-wire border, the beading now rather worn. There is no bezel. Wi…
Workflow: Published
Find number: CORN-5482E1
Object type: FINGER RING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Description: Gold finger-ring with a French inscription engraved around the exterior of the hoop in Gothic or 'black letter' script, reading …
Workflow: Published
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618