FINGER RING

Roman cast copper alloy finger ring of Guiraud Type 4d, Henig Type VIII. The ring has a central circular bezel with smaller circular bezels to each side.The central bezel has a diameter of 7.7mm, the smaller ones measure 3.7mm across the diameter. The central bezel is flat and on the front has a raised rim around a recessed centre which contains raised decoration of a rayed circle in the middle. This decoration has an intact central circle surrounding a recessed area but the outer circle has regular indents around the edge giving the impression of a sun or cog. The recessed area within and around the raised decoration holds a whitish-green, irregular substance which appears to be decayed glass enamel of uncertain colour. To each side there is a short section of band before the smaller bezels. These are circular, thicker than the cnetral bezel and have a depression in the front, in the centre of each of which is a deeper indent, these possibly also held enamel although they are now smooth with no evidence for it. The band is rectangular in section with flat faces, thinning at the back.

The ring is 19.3mm in external diameter, 4.4mm wide by 1.5mm thick at the bezel. The hoop varies from 1.7mm wide by 1.7mm thick at the shoulder to 1.0mm wide by 1.0mm thick at the back of the hoop. The ring weighs 0.96 grams.

It is classifiable as Guiraud Type 4d which are mostly 3rd to 4th century, however his may be an early form analogous to the constricted shoulder types of the 2nd to 3rd century. It is similar to Henig Type VIIIa dated to the early 3rd century.