Rights Holder: Birmingham 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: WMID-909766
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete cast copper alloy signet finger ring, of Late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (c. AD 1450 to c. AD 1650).
Approximately 50% of the finger ring is present, consisting of the bezel, shoulders and part of the hoop. The rest of the hoop is missing, presumed lost in antiquity.
The bezel is sub rectangular in plan. The device consists of male head, wearing a hat and long beard, facing left (possibly an Arab or a Saracen) within an oval cartouche. The shoulders are straight and taper straight into the hoop. The hoop is oval in section. The reverse of the finger ring is plain and undecorated.
The finger ring measures 24.60 mm in length, 10.27 mm wide and 2.58 mm thick. It weighs 3.3 g.
The finger ring is a dark green colour with an uneven surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail.
Many similar signet rings have been recorded on the PAS database, however none seem to have the same device as present on this finger ring. Most consist of crowned letters or bibical scenes such as the head of John the Baptist.
Class: signet
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1450
Date to: Circa AD 1650
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 24.6 mm
Width: 10.27 mm
Thickness: 2.58 mm
Weight: 3.3 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 1st January 2010 - Friday 31st December 2010
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: West Midlands (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Staffordshire (County)
District: Lichfield (District)
Parish or ward: Lichfield (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SK1107
Four figure Latitude: 52.660611
Four figure longitude: -1.838804
1:25K map: SK1107
1:10K map: SK10NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
Similar objects
Find number: WMID-54F164
Object type: FINGER RING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
An incomplete cast copper alloy signet finger ring, of Late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (c. AD 1450 to c. AD 1650).
Approximatel…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: WMID-FD5D7B
Object type: FINGER RING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
An incomplete copper alloy signet finger ring, of Late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (c. AD 1450 to c. AD 1650).
Approximately 50…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: WMID-1FEE06
Object type: FINGER RING
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
An incomplete cast copper alloy signet finger ring, of Post Medieval dating (17th to 18th Centuries AD).
Approximately 50% of the finger ri…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
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