TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

409. Chichester area, West sussex:
medieval gold finger-ring (2006 T63)
Date: Probably 13th century
Discovery: Found by Mr P Fletcher while metaldetecting
in January 2006.
Description: A Medieval gold finger-ring, with an
irregularly shaped biconical bezel, set with a sapphire.
The hoop is slightly bent. Max. diameter: 23mm;
weight: 2.46g. Surface analysis indicated gold and
silver contents of approximately 73–75% & 11–13%
respectively, and confirmed the gemstone.
Disposition: Chichester District Museum hopes
to acquire.
B NENK
410. shoreham-by-sea, West sussex:
medieval gold finger-ring (2006 T310)
Date: 13th century
Discovery: Found by Mr K Dean while fishing in 2002.
Description: A much-distorted finger-ring, the hoop
a simple band of gold, set with what would have been
a square bezel. The stone, which the bezel would have
contained, is lost. Length: 26mm; max. width: 17mm.
Disposition: Marlipins Museum, Shoreham-by-Sea.
J P ROBINSON
411. helmsley, North yorkshire:
medieval silver finger-ring (2005 T212)
Date: 13th century
Discovery: Found by Mr A Leach while metal-detecting
in February 2005.
Description: A Medieval silver finger-ring. The
hoop is of rectangular section, and is engraved with
the inscription, in Lombardic lettering: + IESVS
NA[ZARENUS] (Jesus of Nazareth). Diameter: 23mm;
width of hoop: 5mm; weight: 3.4g. Surface analysis
indicated a silver content of approximately 97%, also
showing that the inscription was added after the single
strip band had been joined with silver solder.
Disposition: Yorkshire Museum had hoped to acquire
but withdrew; returned to landowner.
B NENK
412. Lache area, Cheshire:
medieval silver-gilt finger-ring (2005 T526)
Date: 13th–early 14th century
Discovery: Found by Mr R Davies while metaldetecting
in November 2005.
Description: A Medieval silver-gilt finger-ring. The band
is of rectangular section, and is inscribed in Lombardic
characters: AVE MARIA GRACIA PLENA (Hail Mary full
of grace), against a cross-hatched ground. The gilding
is worn and survives mainly in the recessed areas and
on the inside surface of the ring. Max. diameter: 22mm;
width: 5mm.
Disposition: Grosvenor Museum, Chester.
B NENK
413. high Easter, Essex:
medieval silver-gilt finger-ring (2006 T27)
Date: 13th–early 14th century
Discovery: Found by Mr R Stuteley while metaldetecting
in October 2005.
Description: A silver-gilt finger-ring of stirrup-shaped
form, with a small circular bezel. Clasped hands at
the back of the hoop are represented by engraved
lines. Around the hoop in Lombardic characters is the
inscription: AVE MARIA (‘Hail Mary’). The gilding is
worn. Diameter: 23mm; max. height: 24mm.
Disposition: Saffron Walden Museum, the landowner’s
share generously donated.
B NENK
414. Wickhambreaux, Kent:
medieval silver-gilt finger-ring (2006 T47)
Date: Late 13th–early 14th century
Discovery: Found by Mr P Thomas while metaldetecting
in January 2006.
Description: A finger-ring of stirrup shape, much
distorted. The ring is not set with a stone, but instead
terminates in a silver knop. Width: 26mm;
length: 20mm.
Disposition: Canterbury Museum.
J P ROBINSON
415. Congresbury, North somerset:
medieval silver finger-ring (2005 T185)
Date: Late 13th–early 14th century
Discovery: Found by Mr J Sloan while metal-detecting
in August 2004.
Description: A Medieval finger-ring, much distorted,
the form basically stirrup-shaped. It has been modified
to accommodate the heads of two beasts (dragons or
snakes) which support the bezel; the eyes of the beasts
are hollow and were probably intended to hold stones
or glass beads. The bezel has an oval setting which
has also lost its stone. The scales of the beasts’ bodies
are rendered by a band of punched decoration which
extends along the centre of the hoop. Length: 22mm;
width: 17mm.
Disposition: North Somerset Museum.
J P ROBINSON
416. West Chinnock, somerset:
medieval silver finger-ring (2005 T550)
Date: 13th–14th century
Discovery: Found by Mr K Bellringer while metaldetecting
in November 2005.
Description: A Medieval silver finger-ring, set with a
small green ‘stone’. The ring is slightly stirrup-shaped
in form, and has become bent. The shoulders are
decorated with an engraved design of flower petals.
Max. width: 25mm; weight: 1.46g. Surface analysis
indicated a silver content of approximately 98% and
confirmed the setting as glass.
Disposition: Somerset County Museums Service.
B NENK
417. Tolpuddle, Dorset: medieval gold finger-ring
(2005 T456)
Date: Probably 13th–15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr J Lucas while metal-detecting
in October.
Description: A Medieval gold finger-ring with a circular
bezel containing a miniature representation of an open
book. Lines of text on the open pages of the book are
represented by horizontal engraved lines. The shoulders
of the ring are engraved with what may be intended as
animal heads. Diameter: 21mm.
Discussion: The miniature book may have been
intended to represent the Bible, an unusual image on
jewellery at this period. References to the Bible usually
took the form of inscriptions or of representations of
human figures.
Disposition: Dorset County Museum.
B NENK
418. Ipplepen, Devon: medieval silver-gilt finger-ring
(2006 T616)
Date: Probably 13th–16th century
Discovery: Found by Mr D Hewings while metaldetecting
in November 2006.
Description: A silver-gilt finger-ring, the gilding now
worn. The bezel is in the form of a lobed flower. On
either side of the bezel the band is decorated with
parallel incised lines within a zigzag design. The band
has separated at the join, beneath the bezel. Max.
diameter: 24mm.
Disposition: Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter,
hopes to acquire.
B NENK
419. bristol, Gloucestershire:
medieval gold finger-ring (2006 T42)
Date: Late 14th century
Discovery: Found by Bristol & Regional Archaeological
Services during controlled excavation of the Old
Council House site in December 2005.
Description: A Medieval finger-ring formed of a simple
gold wire with milled decoration, which terminates in
a sphere on each shoulder. The double bezel consists of
two circular collets and is supported by an openwork
spandrel, into which is inserted a miniature trefoil. The
stones are missing, but the method of attachment
survives in the form of two rivets which may originally
have held pearls. See Dalton 1912, nos. 1819–1821 for
similar examples. Length: 23mm; width: 20mm.
Disposition: Disclaimed to remain with the main site
archive (Bristol City Museum).
J P ROBINSON
420. Codford, Wiltshire: medieval silver finger-ring
(2006 T236)
Date: 14th century
Discovery: Found by Mr W Green while metaldetecting
in January 2006.
Description: A much-distorted finger-ring, the original
shape of which would have been close to that of a
stirrup. The bezel is decorated with a single sphere of
metal in place of a stone. The flattened hoop of the
ring is inscribed: + AIIORVINCX likely to mean ‘Amor
Vincit’ (Love Conquers). The strokes to form the letter
‘M’ of ‘AMOR’ are missing. This is probably the error
of the goldsmith. The terminating ‘X’ perhaps signifies
an abbreviation in place of the missing letters ‘IT’. The
phrase ‘amor vincit omnia’ (love conquers all) was
frequently used on jewellery in the Medieval period.
Max. length: 31mm; max. width: 16mm.
Disposition: Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum.
J P ROBINSON
116 MEDIEVAL MEDIEVAL 117