FINGER RING

A gold finger-ring with a stone setting and filigree decoration. The finger-ring has been made by cutting out its shape from a sheet of gold. It consists of a lozenge-shaped bezel and a narrow band that tapers out from the two side-points of the bezel. The band has been broken or cut open and flattened out, but bent at both terminals.

In the centre of the bezel is an oval-shaped gold collet, not integral but a separate component that has been soldered into place. The collet consists of a strip of gold that has been cut so that five triangular points project inwards to clasp a translucent glass inlay. The inlay is oval with a rounded top, semi-opaque and is fairly colourless. The collet is surrounded by gold filigree motifs interspersed with gold granules. The top and bottom point of the bezel are filled with a pelta motif, the lower motif (as photographed) retaining two granules within its curls and the upper motif retaining just one granule. There is a further pelta motif on the left-hand point of the bezel (as photographed), with a granule placed beside it on the shoulder of the band. The pelta is flanked by two smaller U-shaped motifs, their curves facing outwards. The right-hand point of the bezel is decorated with two curls of filigree, and also flanked by U-shaped motifs. A tiny dot on the band suggests a granule was originally located on the shoulder of the band here, mirroring the one on the other side. The filigree appears to have been constructed by strips of gold that have been folded in half, forming loops at the terminals of the individual motifs. The tops of these strips appear to have been hatched to resemble beaded wire.

Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of the metal, undertaken at the British Museum, indicated a surface composition of approximately 87-88% gold, 10-11% silver, the rest being copper.