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Description: | A copper-alloy fragment of what may be a finger ring, however this attribution is not certain. The object has an oval bezel and rounded shoulders which taper to what appears to be a hoop, but as this is broken a definite function is not certain. A feature which does not seem quite right for a finger ring is a hollow oval recess on the reverse of the bezel which may have made the object uncomfortable to wear as a finger ring. Furthermore, the remains of the hoop indicate that it would have been very small, and would have to have been worn above the knuckle, probably even by a woman or child. Despite the object's uncertain identification as a finger ring, it is difficult to suggest another likely function for it. The bezel is decorated with a cross which divides it into four fields. The cross is quite crudely decorated with incised lines, which form a border on each of the arms and regular horizontal dashes. Traces of enamel remain in each of the four cells, and faint traces of red can be discerned. The sides of the bezel are also decorated with incised markings, forming two bands of alternating triangles, or two bands of 'closed teeth'. It is uncertain whether the cross on the front of the bezel represents Christian iconography or merely forms a decorative field for the enamel. However, the use of a cross for dividing enamel fields is reminiscent of designs used on some medieval harness mounts, and for this reason a medieval date, possibly late Saxon, is here suggested, though this is far from certain. The object measures 17.52 mm long and 14.31 mm wide. It is 13.08 mm long from the end of the broken hoop to the front of the bezel. The bezel is 6.10 mm thick. The remaining shoulder tapers from 12.52 mm to 4.1 mm at the break. It weighs 4.7 grams.
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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