Rights Holder: Northamptonshire County Council
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Unique ID: NARC-BD1E51
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
A complete gold ring of EarlyMedieval date (AD 575-1000). The object comprises an annular ring formed from gold beaded wire. It is now slightly distorted and slightly worn.
Gold beaded wire rings like this one are common components of decoration on a variety of early Anglo-Saxon objects including pendants (PAS database ESS-00D4F2), brooches (British Museum 1879,1013.1), mounts (PAS database SF-176F05, British Museum SF-176F05), swords (British Museum 2006,1001.1) and buckles (PAS database BH-5798B4). Typically they form the collars for settings (PAS database PAS-E9BEA3), rivets or domed bosses but are also found as decoration upon beads, masking joins or terminals (PAS database SF-40CB01). Given the small diameter of this ring, it seems likely that it was such a collar on a larger composite object. Compare similar rings on the PAS database (SF-9F296A) and UK Detector Finds Database (51506).
Filigree setting collars are most common on early Anglo-Saxon artefacts of the late sixth to seventh centuries but are also found on later Anglo-Saxon objects from the ninth and tenth centuries, including pins (PAS database PAS-141C31), finger-rings (PAS database YORYM-32E6E6) and so-called aestels (PAS database SWYOR-C75C64 and SF-3ABEB9; British Museum 1993,0102.1). A broad date is therefore suggested for this object.
Dimensions: Height: 13.57mm; Width: 16.31mm; Thickness: 1.79mm; Weight 4.1g.
Notes:
The object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal and is over 300 years old. Consequently it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 in terms of both age and precious metal content.
Subsequent action after recording: Submitted for consideration as Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2016T730
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 575
Date to: Circa AD 1000
Quantity: 1
Height: 13.57 mm
Width: 16.31 mm
Thickness: 1.79 mm
Weight: 4.1 g
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Treasure case number: 2016T730
Primary material: Gold
Manufacture method: Hand made
Decoration style: Other
Completeness: Uncertain
4 Figure: TL0765
Four figure Latitude: 52.27275106
Four figure longitude: -0.43325127
1:25K map: TL0765
1:10K map: TL06NE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.