FINGER RING

A Roman copper alloy finger ring, probably dating to c. AD 175-325. The ring has a circular bezel with a central circular cell, within which are three raised pellets arranged in a triangle, the bezel is 7.6mm long by 6.4mm wide and 1.4mm thick. Within the cell are flecks of white material, most likely traces of treatment applied by the finder. There are also decayed remains of enamel in the recess around the pellets, the original colour is unclear but is now the same shade as the pellets. The bezel is flanked to either side by a moulded transverse ridge on either shoulder, 4.8mm wide, the shoulders and hoop are otherwise undecorated. The hoop has a D-shaped cross section at the shoulders but which tapers from 3.8mm wide below the cross moulding at the shoulders to 1.4mm wide at the bottom of the hoop, by which point the cross section has become sub-circular. By contrast the thickness is relatively consistent 1.4mm at the bezel and 1.5mm a the bottom of the hoop. The ring is 18.5mm in diameter and weighs 1.04g.

The ring appears to be a fairly simple example of Guiraud's type 3d, typically dated to c. AD 175 - 300. Comparible finger rings are published by Crummy (1983: 48, nos. 1778, 1785) although both have a single pellet rather than three in their bezel, the latter also with corded shoulders. The former was found in Post-Roman ditch fill, whilst the latter was found in a cemetery context dating to c. 320-450. Two identical bezels can also be found recorded onto the PAS database, WILT-4D171E, SUR-23C911, with the latter also bearing corded decoration on the shoulders. Both are given third century date ranges.