ROMAN FINGER RING

300

TREASURE CASE : 2013 T722.A complete gold finger ring with blue glass intaglio of late Roman date, circa 4th century AD. The bezel of the ring is an ovate box setting with tall sides and slight folds at the rim to hold the gem in place with a flat and undecorated reverse. The hoop of the ring is circular in both plan and section though has been bent out of shape and appears to have been formed separately from the bezel. Where the hoop meets the bezel to either side it is flanked by applied ovate decorative knops.The bezel retains its ovate blue glass intaglio which is engraved with the figure of Victory left raising a wreath in her right hand and balancing on a globe with one foot, the other leg being raised behind her. The traditional source for blue glass in the Roman period was Trier.A comparable finger ring has been recorded as Treasure on the PAS database as 2013 T211 (KENT-577F75) though this example no longer retains its setting. NARC1709 also bears an intaglio with engraving of Victory left raising wreath.Thanks are extended to Stuart Ogilvy, Assistant Curator of Natural Sciences at the Yorkshire Museum for his assistance in the identification of the intaglio material.Date:Roman: 4th CenturyDimensions:Hoop:Diameter: 25.6mm; Thickness: 2.1mm;Bezel:Length: 16.7mm,; Width: 13mm; Thickness: 4.2mm;Weight: 7.11g.Reference:http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/554771http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/8085