J20

Roman British very fine gold ring

£3200

A very finely decorated heavy gold ring mounted with an oval polished agate or chalcedony eye bezel.

The beautiful open-work shank consists of two thick bands with "shepherd's crook" terminals framing a continuous frieze of serpentine scrolls.

The stone bezel was shaped and polished to form a stylised eye design using the natural layer of milky pale blue speckled banding above a dark blue/black layer underneath. Although banded agates and chalcedonies are quite common in the modern world, they were highly prized in antiquity and imbued with magical protective powers when carved to form an eye design which was regarded as a protective talisman. The unusual speckled nature of the banding in this stone probably meant that it was thought to be particularly powerful: multiple smaller eyes within the main eye. The rare blue colouration of this stone is also significant as blue was the most important colour used in apotropaic eyes (this belief can still be seen today on the thousands of blue glass eye pendants on display across much of Anatolia).

Roman, reputedly found in Britain and possibly of British manufacture, circa 1st Century AD

Size: 1.95 x 1.7 x 1.2 cms. Internal size is little bit over British G, USA 3 3/8, French 45 1/4. Robust and absolutely wearable, but a small finger is required!

A few insignificant bumps to the scroll-work shank which could be straightened out if required; the surface of the stone has been re-polished to show the natural colouring.

Ex. private collection, London, UK. Acquired in Sotheby's (London) during the 1980's.

An export license will be required by the British government for this item to be sent outside of the UK. We are happy to arrange this at no extra cost but it will delay shipping by a couple of weeks. If the ring is required urgently please notify us at the time of purchase and we will do everything possible to speed up the license process.