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FINGER RING
Unique ID: WAW-4C13D4
Object type certainty: Probably
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Post-Medieval (c. 1650-c. 1850) copper-alloy signet finger ring: Only the bezel of the finger ring survives. It is oval with tapering ends flowing into the shoulders. There is a trace of the hoop, which is a D-shape in section. The bezel is decorated with a low-relief border within which there is a low-relief W with a long cross above.
The surface of the item has a shiny mottled mid green patina on the internal surface, but is abraded across the bezel.
The item measures 21.89mm long across the shoulders, 13.22mm wide across the bezel. It weighs 4.43g.
This is probably a fragment of pipe tamper, rather than just a finger ring as these appear to be more common with this style of decoration. Similar pipe tampers incorporating finger-rings have been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database: For example, see finds: BERK-3D22B1; HESH-7E11A4;IOW-9318E7; LVPL-3BD087; LVPL-A563A1; SF-7096BD; SOM-1556F1; SUSS-373EA5;SWYOR-4BBAD6; SWYOR-D0A4F1 and WAW-416CA5. According to SUSS-373EA5, the two artefacts; finger ring and pipe tamper, were often combined in the 17th century, as apparently gentlemen would often loose their pipe tamper having had too much to drink. With such an artefact the user could wear his ring and conceal the tamper in his palm.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1650
Date to: Circa AD 1850
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 21.89 mm
Width: 13.22 mm
Weight: 4.43 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 27th October 2017 - Friday 27th October 2017
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Fragment
Spatial metadata
Region: West Midlands (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Worcestershire (County)
District: Worcester (District)
Parish or ward: Bedwardine (District Ward)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SO8453
Four figure Latitude: 52.17502237
Four figure longitude: -2.23538831
1:25K map: SO8453
1:10K map: SO85SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Object type: FINGER RING
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Workflow: Awaiting validation
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Timeline of associated dates
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