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FINGER RING
Unique ID: KENT-A8FA32
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
An incomplete copper alloy roman finger-ring with inlaid black engraved intaglio, likely dating to c.AD49-250.
Description: Roughly half of the ring remains with oval bezel and inlaid intaglio still present, the band starts broad around the bezel narrowing as the band runs away from the bezel. The band is D-shape in profile. The ring fits Henig type III (Henig and MacGregor 2004, 28). The intaglio is of what appears to be black glass but the colouration is likely down to glass weathering. It is likely from the small area of fresh chip on the intaglio that the original colour was an olive green. Intaglio's design is unclear due to weathering, however what can be seen shows figure facing right with arm out stretched possibly holding smaller figures hand. The metal of the ring now has a mottled light and dark grey-green colouration caused by the copper patination.
Measurements: Ring is 19mm long, 11.1mm high, 11.36 wide, 1.3mm thick. Intaglio is 8.23 long and 7.24mm wide. 2.63g in weight
Discussion: Although probably Roman in date (c. 43-410 AD), examples of Early Medieval imitations of such rings have also been identified (Crummy 1983, p49, No. 1786)
Class: Henig Type III
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: ROMAN
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: ROMAN
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 250
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 19 mm
Height: 11.1 mm
Width: 11.36 mm
Thickness: 1.3 mm
Weight: 2.63 g
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Glass
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Kent (County)
District: Dover (District)
Parish or ward: St. Margaret's At Cliffe (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TR3645
Four figure Latitude: 51.15555638
Four figure longitude: 1.37351213
1:25K map: TR3645
1:10K map: TR34NE
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crummy, N. | 1983 | Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds from excavations in Colchester, 1971-9 | Colchester | Colchester Archaeological Trust Ltd | |||
| Henig, M. and MacGregor, A. | 2004 | Catalogue of the Engraved Gems and Finger-Rings in the Ashmolean Museum II: Roman | Oxford | Archaeopress |
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Timeline of associated dates
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