Rights Holder: Kent County Council
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FINGER RING
Unique ID: KENT-E0E361
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A complete gold and garnet teardrop/pear-shaped finger ring bezel of high Medieval date, c. 1200-1400.
The bezel consists of a simple plain gold dished bezel, teardrop/pear-shaped in plan with a flat back. The sides of the bezel have two corresponding scars indicating the bezel was attached to a shank that was roughly circular at its shoulder. A similar arrangment is seen on the dated examples cited below. The bezel contains a teardrop/pear cabochon shaped dark purple-red gemstone with a bubble and and black mineral inclusions indicating an Almandine or Almandine dominated Garnet (Hall 2012, 59). The dark colour likely means that the back of the garnet is flat, a hollow shape would have led to a lighter setting.
Apart from the scars on the side of bezel there are some scratch marks on the back and light scratches on the surface of the garnet likely from a similar event (the differences in the hardness between the garnet and the gold accounting for differences in extent).
Measurement: 9.74mm long, 6.64mm wide, 4.21mm thick and 0.55g in weight.
Notes:
A 12th century to 14th century date comes from, LEIC-7246E0 (2010T248), ESS-C59BF1 (2015T146), GLO-869650 (2016T170) and PAS-CAAF34 (2013T724) which are all complete rings with similar bezel shapes and shank attachments. The latter is a close parallel and is dated to the 13-14th centuries.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Submitted for consideration as Treasure
Treasure details
Treasure case tracking number: 2016T276
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1100
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 9.74 mm
Width: 6.64 mm
Thickness: 4.21 mm
Weight: 0.55 g
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Treasure case number: 2016T276
Materials and construction
Primary material: Gold
Secondary material: Gem
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Kent (County)
District: Canterbury (District)
Parish or ward: Fordwich (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TR1759
Four figure Latitude: 51.2887731
Four figure longitude: 1.11071969
1:25K map: TR1759
1:10K map: TR15NE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C., Hall | 2012 | Gemstones | London | Dorling Kindersley |
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Timeline of associated dates
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