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Description: | A cast copper alloy finger ring. In plan the ring is circular and in section it is a 'D' shape. The outer surface is decorated with a linear groove at each edge and has blocks of fine transverse grooves. There is possibly a stamped asymmetrical six-pointed star between two of these blocks. The interior is smooth and the edges appear to have been filed forming a slightly bevelled edge of the interior. This may be to make the ring more comfortable to wear. The ring has a well developed dark green patina which is abraded in some areas. The ring measures 24.43mm diameter, and 3.89mm thick. It weighs 2.9g. Crummy (Crummy, N 1983 Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman Small Finds from Excavations in Colchester 1971-9, Colchester Archaeological Trust) illustrates a similar ring, No. 1770 with wide transverse grooves. No. 1774 has examples of more fine grooves, but these are obliquely angled and it was originally an armlet. These rings date to the late 3rd to 4th centuries. Egan and Pritchard (2002 Dress Accessories Boydell Press) also illustrate similar cast copper alloy rings, Nos. 1627 and 1629 dating between c. 1400 and 1450. These both have the transverse grooves in the centre of the loop, but have undecorated edges rather than bordering grooves. Egan and Pritchard comment that the simplicity of these rings may suggest they were used as guard rings rather than as a dress accessory. However one example of these rings has quite a rough interior finish so the identification as a finger ring may not be accurate (Egan and Pritchard, 2002; 332). The recorded example may be Roman, but it is probably more likely to date to the 15th century.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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