FINGER RING

Treasure reference number 2016 T328: a Roman silver bezel from a finger ring. The bezel is circular in plan with a flat surface and a gently curved perimeter. The underside is slightly concave. The front is decorated with both an inscription and also what appears to be two motifs. The inscription reads TOT, being an abbreviation of the Celtic god-name Totatis or Toutatis (Daubney 2010). The two letter 'T's are both seriffed. The central letter 'O' is formed of a central dot surrounded by two incised concentric circles. The central letter is roughly twice the size of the flanking letter 'T's. Above the abbreviation is a pair of horizontal lines which join a large circle in the centre, and which appear to carry on beyond the circle where they join together to form a small triangle. The meaning of this decoration - if indeed it was intended as a motif - is unclear, though it might be tentatively interpreted as a phallus. Below the abbreviation is a large inverted 'S' motif set horizontally in the middle. The reverse is covered with corrosion and patches of what might be a white metal solder.

The treatment of the central letter O can be compared with examples from Mansfield (LIN-71BD32), Great Ponton (LIN-424C19), Baumber (LIN-B7B53E), all of which have a central pellet surrounded by one circle. The Baumber example is also the only other example known of a TOT ring where the bezel is a separate, soldered, element of the ring. The present ring is the only example known which has two concentric circles forming the central letter 'O'.

Thickness: 3.73mm

Diameter (bezel): 13.78mm

Weight: 4.55g

Reference

Daubney, A. (2010) 'The cult of Totatis: evidence for tribal identity in Roman Britain' in Worrell, S., Egan, G., Naylor, J., Leahy, K. and Lewis, M. (Eds) A Decade of Discovery: proceedings of the Portable Antiquities Scheme conference 2007, BAR British Series 520