TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

117. Newark area, Nottinghamshire:
Roman gold finger-ring setting (2005 T192)
Date: 2nd–3rd century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr W French while metaldetecting
in March 2005.
Description: A gold cameo ovular ring setting, with
a repoussé design of a standing figure of Vulcan. He
holds a pair of tongs in his left hand by his side, and
a hammer poised above an anvil in his right. Length:
9.0mm; width: 6.5mm; weight: 0.36g.
Discussion: The ring setting is paralleled by one still
in its ring from Brant Braughton, Lincolnshire (Lincoln
Museum, LM 1, 84; Johns 1991, 61–2, no. 18), and is
also comparable to two Vulcan plaques from Barkway
(Walters 1921, nos. 235–36; Crerar 2006, p.3).
Disposition: British Museum.
R HOBBS & M HENIG
118. Evesham area, Worcestershire:
Roman gold finger-ring (2006 T5)
Date: 2nd–3rd century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr D Crawford while metaldetecting
in 1995.
Description: A finger-ring of a hollow-construction,
Henig Type III (Henig 1978). The hoop is oval and has
a sub D-shaped section, the apex of which is slightly
angular; the bezel has an oval setting. The nicoloimitation
intaglio is produced in layered 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 design depicts a figure advancing right, identified
by Dr M Henig as a satyr holding his curved staff
– a pedum – and a bunch of grapes. The shoulders
are plain, while the hoop has punched and incised
decoration. Max. width: 23.8mm; internal dimensions:
12. 6 x 17.8mm; weight: 6.09g.
Discussion: For a similar gold finger-ring with a cameo
depicting a draped female bust see Kettlebaston,
Suffolk (Treasure Annual Report 2002, no. 15). This
example was dated to the late 2nd to 3rd centuries,
based on the shape and style of the bust depicted,
and a broadly similar date is given here.
Disposition: Not Treasure, returned to finder.
A BOLTON & S WORRELL
119. highnam, Gloucestershire:
Roman gold finger-ring (2006 T136)
Date: 3rd century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr R Poole while metal-detecting
in February 2006.
Description: Distorted and crushed Roman gold
finger-ring of keeled type. Each carinated shoulder is
decorated with a triangular motif consisting of three
shallow incised lines. Two parallel incised lines decorate
the outside of the hoop, whilst the flat rectangular
bezel is undecorated. Weight: 5.1g.
Disposition: Gloucester City Museum.
R HOBBS
120. Denton with Wootton, Kent:
Roman gold finger-ring (2005 T276)
Date: 3rd century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr M Gilham while digging a
pond in the garden in July 2005.
Description: Roman gold finger-ring of keeled type,
the plain D-section hoop widening into triangular
shoulders, decorated with three flutes. On the lower
inside of the band there is a small fold in the metal,
but the ring is in good condition and unworn. The ring
is mounted with a prominent ovular bezel consisting
of a dark red carnelian intaglio encased within a box
setting. The intaglio portrays a profile, standing winged
figure, probably Victory, facing left; it is rendered in
a crude style but some detail can be made out in
the depiction of the feet and feathering on the wing,
although the head and arms are particularly unclear.
The stone itself is somewhat flawed. Internal diameter:
19mm; external diameter: 26mm; weight: 10.0g. The
finger-ring is Henig Type VIII (Henig 1978).
Disposition: Canterbury Museum.
R HOBBS & B CRERAR
121. scopwick, Lincolnshire:
Roman silver finger-ring (2005 T196)
Date: 3rd century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr M Miles while metal-detecting
in October 2004.
Description: A silver intaglio finger-ring with triangular
shoulders, each decorated with angled incised lines.
The ring has an applied circular disc on the bezel,
inscribed ‘TOT’ with distinctive lettering. The ring is of
the ‘keeled’ type with a distinctive carinated profile.
Internal diameter: 14.0 x 14.2mm; external diameter:
18.2 x 19.0mm; weight: 4.1g.
Discussion: The ring’s is Henig’s Type VIII (Henig
1978). The style of the inscription is virtually identical
to that of a similar ring found in Lincolnshire (Johns
1996, 59, fig. 3.19).
Disposition: Generously donated by the finder and
landowner to The Collection, Lincoln.
R HOBBS
122. haltwhistle, Northumberland:
Roman gold finger-ring (2005 T278)
Date: 3rd century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr D Rodgers while metaldetecting
in July 2005.
Description: Roman gold finger-ring, keeled type,
with flat undecorated bezel. Each carinated shoulder
is decorated with four shallow flaring incised lines,
the outermost culminating in loose scrolls. The ring
is rather crudely worked. Internal diameter: 14.5mm;
external diameter: 19.2mm; weight: 4.5g.
Disposition: Tullie House Museum, Carlisle.
R HOBBS
123. Chirton, Wiltshire:
Roman silver finger-ring bezel (2006 T233)
Date: Early 3rd century AD (coin struck AD 202–5)
Discovery: Found by Mr R Miller while metal-detecting
in February 2006.
Description: A silver octagonal mount from a fingerring.
The mount has a denarius of Plautilla (wife of
Caracalla) set within it. The opposite (reverse) face
shows Concordia standing left with patera and sceptre
(Mattingly & Sydenham 1936, no 363b), but the edge
of the bezel is rough here suggesting this was the side
that would have been attached to the hoop.
The mount is octagonal in shape on the outside but
the inner surface has a circular section. It is widest
around the obverse of the coin, which is set below this
edge. The edge here is smooth. There appears to be
some kind of residue on the underside. Max. diameter
of mount: 21.7mm; height: 5.1mm; weight: 5.49g.
Discussion: Coins set within octagonal mounts for
attachment to a ring seem to have been popular in
the 3rd century AD. A good parallel for this item is a
ring from Poringland, Norfolk (Treasure Annual Report
1997–8, no. 8), set with a gold aureus of Postumus (AD
260–69).
Disposition: Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes
hopes to acquire.
K HINDS
124. scawby, North Lincolnshire:
Roman gold finger-ring (2005 T393)
Date: 3rd–4th century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr Smalley while working on
the land in July 2005.
Description: A Roman gold finger-ring with solid
stepped rectangular bezel. The hoop, distorted and
incomplete, comprises an oval-sectioned, ribbed rod,
smooth on the outer face. At the shoulders it is fused
to the base of the bezel and enclosed by three pellets.
The bezel has a short two-line inscription incised on its
lightly cambered surface. Wear, also apparent on the
hoop and shoulders, has partially erased the inscription,
which appears to read _ IV / _ II, perhaps [V]IV(AS)
(i.e. ‘Long life to you …’) followed by an abbreviated
personal name. Bezel: 7.1 x 6.9mm; weight: 5.6g.
Discussion: The ring form is paralleled by an example
from Baden im Aargau (Henkel 1913, no. 113,
Taf. VI, 113).
Disposition: British Museum.
R JACKSON
125. south Warwickshire: Roman gold finger-ring
(2006 T487)Date: Probably 3rd–4th century AD
Date: Probably 3rd–4th century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr M Bolland while metaldetecting
in August 2006.
Description: A small Roman hexagonal gold finger-ring
set with a red jasper intaglio. The hoop, now slightly
squashed, has broad angular shoulders. The oval intaglio
is set flush with the surface of the rectangular bezel.
The intaglio is finely engraved with a combination: a
bearded Silenus head conjoined back-to-back to an
inverted, clean-shaven, youthful head, probably a satyr.
The sinuous motif that separates/unites the heads is
probably an elephant’s trunk with stylised palm branch,
but it may also be ‘read’ as facial hair and a long hair
lock for the Silenus. Spalling of the surface of the
intaglio in the region beneath the chin of the Silenus
and above the head of the satyr makes it hard to
determine whether a third conjoined head once existed
there. External dimensions: 19.4 x 13.1mm; intaglio 10
x 7.5mm; weight: 7.2g.
Discussion: The ring is of Henig’s Type IX and is
closely paralleled by an example from Jewry Wall,
Leicester (Henig 1978, no. 385), while the intaglio may
be compared to the examples of combinations, the
majority in red jasper, in Henig (1978), nos. 373–385.
Disposition: Warwickshire Museum hopes to acquire.
R JACKSON
62 ROMAN ROMAN 63