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Description: | A Roman gold finger ring of a hollow-construction, with a nicolo imitation intaglio which is produced in layered light blue and dark blue glass. The hoop is oval and has a sub 'D'-shaped section, the apex of which is slightly angular. The hoop is widest at the bezel and tapers gradually towards the back. It is a finger ring of Henig's Type III (Henig, M. A Corpus of Roman Engraved Gemstones from the British Isles (B.A.R. 8) Oxford 1978).The bezel has an oval setting. The intaglio is made from light blue and dark blue glass and closer examination of the upper surface reveals frequent mottled spots of mid blue. It has a flat upper surface, and the edges are bevelled. The engraving cuts through the light blue revealing the dark blue beneath to give it further definition. The design depicts a figure advancing right, with the left arm outstretched. Just below the hand is a small, sub oval indentation. Above the right shoulder is a short, feint curved groove. Martin Henig (Oxford University) describes the device as a satyr holding his curved staff - a pedum, and a bunch of grapes, and advancing right.The shoulders are undecorated. However, at the shoulder the hoop is decorated with a pair of transverse lines formed by columns of small, punched oval indentations. Linear grooves extend from this column down the hoop. The sides are further decorated with between five and seven incised horizontal lines grooves. These fade and do not extend to the reverse of the hoop.A similarly constructed gold finger ring but with a cameo setting depicting a draped female bust was found recently in Kettlebaston, Suffolk (Hobbs, R in Treasure Annual Report 2002 p. 24, No. 15 DCMS). This example was dated to the late 2nd to 3rd centuries, based on the shape and style of the bust depicted. A broad date of 2nd to 3rd centuries can be given to the Pershore finger ring.Dimensions: The external maximum width is 23.75mm, the maximum height is 19.46mm, and the width across the bezel is 12.38mm. The internal dimensions measure 12.56mm x 17.84mm. It weighs 6.09g.Comment on Deposition: The ring was found within the plough soil, with no associated finds. The finder commented that there were no changes in the soil colour or texture which may have suggested the ring was buried in a pit. There was also no evidence of a container.
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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