Rights Holder: Kent County Council
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Unique ID: KENT-4D4DB5
Object type certainty: Certain
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status: Published
A silver twisted wire finger-ring, likely of Early-Medieval date.
Description: 2-strand silver finger-ring made of twisted rods, tapering at the ends to plain terminals
Dimensions: diameter 23 x 19mm, weight 2.75g
Discussion: Both annular and penannular rings made of twisted rods are known from the Viking Age (Graham-Campbell 2011, pl. 82). The general appearance and proportions are consistent with Viking rings although the construction is simpler than most (cf the ring from West Bergholt, Essex (Graham-Campbell 2011, pl. 82: 32)) which has a similar 2-strand construction, but alternating with two narrower strips between the two main rods. There is no evidence of secondary treatment such as test marks, but this is not found on all objects of the period. Later jewellery inspired by this period is relatively common, so it is not possible to attribute the object definitively to the Viking Age. However, there is no specific reason to doubt an Early-Medieval attribution, and on the balance of probabilities it seems more likely than not to be a genuine Early-Medieval artefact.
Current location of find: Maidstone Museum
Subsequent action after recording: Donated to a museum after being disclaimed as Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2016T108
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 800
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Quantity: 1
Length: 19 mm
Width: 23 mm
Weight: 2.75 g
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Treasure case number: 2016T108
Museum accession number: MNEMG 2019.3
4 Figure: TQ6655
Four figure Latitude: 51.26997699
Four figure longitude: 0.37822683
1:25K map: TQ6655
1:10K map: TQ65NE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Graham-Campbell, J. | 2011 | The Cuerdale Hoard and related Viking-Age silver and gold from Britain and Ireland in the British Museum | London | The British Museum |