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Description: | An incomplete gilded cast copper alloy late medieval or early post-medieval signet ring. The ring has a rounded bezel and the hoop has broken at the join of the bezel on one side as well as towards the top of the hoop before the bezel on the other side. Both breaks are old and patinated. The hoop for the ring, although cast, has been made to appear as though it was made with two twisted pieces of copper alloy. There is one complete twist at the beginning of the hoop at the join with the bezel but has broken as the second begins. On the top of the first twist are two round blobs and it is likely that all of the twists would have been decorated like this. Due to the twisted effect the hoop is D-shaped in section, flat on the inner side of the hoop and rounded on the top although alternately thicker on the side of the twist. The bezel is flat on the upper surface and has a symbol engraved in the top. It does not appear to be a merchants initial but could possibly be a squirrel. There are patches of gilding on both sides of the ring indicating that it would have been completely gilded.The ring is now 31.3mm long, 5.3mm thick and the hoop is 10.9mm wide and the diameter of the bezel is 16.1mm. The ring now weighs 10.89gSignets rings with simple designs often of initials or symbols became fashionable in the 15th and 16th centuries but by the second half of the 17th century their popularity had declined (Oman 1974, 33). Squirrels are a common symbol found on seal matrices SUR-274E68 and there is also an example of a squirrel on another signet ring on the database SUSS-8771E6. The twisted hoop however is thought to be a 15th century fashion (Egan 2007, 162) and a similar example from Meols is illustrated fig 1976 (Ibid).
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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