FINGER RING

A cast copper-alloy fragment of a Roman finger ring with inlaid intaglio, possibly dating from the second to third century AD. Probably Henig Type VIII. The remains of the finger ring consist of a raised, thick oval bezel and a small fragment of both sides of the ring band, possibly of keeled type, which would have had pronounced shoulders, now missing due to old breaks. The oval intaglio seems to be composed of nicolo paste or glass, with a flattened outer surface which has been carved with a zoomorphic figure. The figure has a simple elongated snout and arched neck, with a piriform-shaped body and small forked tail, with lightly incised lines indicating ears or similar characteristics behind its head to the right, along with two simple front legs extending forward of the body and head; a further small incised 'v' is visible behind the legs and a further single line is positioned directly before the tail on the animal's underbelly. The intaglio's surface is of a light blue and is completely opaque, with the darker opaque surface of the intaglio body coming through in carved recessed areas. The finger ring measures 13 mm in diameter (intaglio), 16.72 mm long (with bezel and band fragments), 12.48 mm wide (at bezel), 7.01 mm thick (at bezel); it weighs 3.74 grams.

Although the figure loosely resembles a duck in shape, it is more likely that this image was meant to represent a hippocamp or Capricorn, which was a composite of a goat and a fish or sea-creature. The Capricorn was a symbol adopted by the Second Augustan Legion and is found in many objects of military association within England and Wales. A similar example has been found at the legionary fortress of the Second Augustan Legion in Caerleon, Wales (cf. Henig, 'The Engraved Gemstones' from Zienkiewicz, J.D. 1986. The Legionary Fortress Baths at Caerleon, Vol II. The Finds, p. 139, no. 79).