FINGER RING

ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURE CASE : 2016 T565.

Silver ring with thin, narrow hoop expanding to broad shoulders and a flat bezel, creating a D-shaped interior to the hoop. The bezel has a very slightly raised oval shape imitating an intaglio. The incised decoration on the oval depicts two small fish, both shown only with ventral fins, facing in opposite directions. SEM-EDS analysis indicates a silver content of 97.8%.

Dimensions:

Height: 16mm

Width: 21mm

Thickness: (max): 10mm (min): 3mm

Weight: 4g

Discussion

The most common forms of silver rings with engraved bezels have simple palm branches or lettering as decoration. This is a rarer type, much closer in design to rings set with intaglios, or those set with plaques in a contrasting metal (e.g. Johns 1991, nos 6, 18). The two fish may represent the zodiac symbol Pisces, which is occasionally found on intaglios (cf Maaskant-Kleibrink 1986, no. 134). Second century.

Conclusion

In terms of the age of the object and its content of at least 10% precious metal, this ring qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

Bibliography

Johns, C., 1991 'Some unpublished jewellery from Roman Britain', Jewellery Studies 5, 55-64

Maaskant-Kleibrink, M., 1986 Description of the Collections in the Rijksmuseum G. M. Kam at Nijmegen, X: the Engraved Gems, Nijmegen

Author A. T. Croom