Details

LOT 595

English Medieval - Gold Inscribed Ring with Sapphire

(21mm diameter; 2.25 grams.).

Circa 13th century AD. A rare gold finger ring with triangular section hoop, its two upper faces divided into four sections by moulded saltire crosses; each section of the outer two faces alternately engraved with letters and symbols (?) or with incised cabling; the lettering obscure, reading S E [?] E? [?] W? A? I N T A; such enigmatic inscriptions were often of magical significance; the bezel in the form of a triangular cell containing a natural sapphire stone.

Provenance

Found Lincolnshire, 2009. Disclaimed under Treasure Act, 1997 (reference 2009T17) and offered here with a copy of the confirmatory British Museum letter (dated 4th June 2009) and their report.

Literature

Cf. Oman, plate 14, 18, etc.

CONDITION