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Ring

Ring

  • Place of origin:

    Sicily, Italy (made)

  • Date:

    1100-1200 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Gold, cast and chased

  • Museum number:

    26-1894

  • Gallery location:

    Medieval and Renaissance, room 8, case 10

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The large size of this ring suggests that it was made for a man.The motif of the lion passant, a lion in profile facing to the right, was often used in heraldry. The motif as used in this ring may possibly indicate a particular family's arms, but may also be purely decorative.

Physical description

Ring, gold, cast and chased. The shaped shoulders of the decorated with an interlace pattern. The flat rectangular bezel set with a high relief lion passant, with incised detailing.

Place of Origin

Sicily, Italy (made)

Date

1100-1200 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Gold, cast and chased

Dimensions

Height: 1.2 cm, Width: 2.1 cm, Depth: 2.1 cm, Diameter: 1.8 cm inside

Historical context note

This ring's large size shows that it probably belonged to a man. Rings, however, were often exchanged as gifts, or bequeathed to friends and relatives. If a ring did not fit the new owner, it could be worn on a ribbon around the neck, or sometimes secured to the finger by a ribbon tied around the wrist.

Descriptive line

Gold ring, with a lion passant, Sicily, 12th century

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Oman, Charles, Catalogue of Rings in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1930, no. 246, pl X

Materials

Gold

Techniques

Casting; Chasing

Subjects depicted

Lions (animals); Reticulated tracery

Categories

Metalwork; Jewellery

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O119166
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