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Ring thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Ring

1400-1500 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Bronze rings shaped like buckled straps survive in some numbers from the middle ages. This ring is engraved with the Latin motto 'Mater dei memanto' which can be translated as 'Mother of God remember me'. This suggests that they may have been sold at shrines, in the same way as lead pilgrim badges. These rings haven't been linked with a particular shrine but the shape of the ring and the inscription calling upon the Virgin Mary may relate to a shrine holding a girdle relic such as Le Puy in France or Prato, Italy. Girdles which had been blessed at a shrine or inscribed with prayers were sometimes worn by pregnant women during their pregnancy and labour to help ensure a safe delivery such as the girdle hired by Elisabeth of York, wife of Henry VII to help during her pregnancy. It is possible that these rings served a similar purpose although it should be noted that rings in the shape of belts or buckles continued to be made into the nineteenth century.

A ring, described as 'formed like a strap or garter buckled and inscribed 'Mater dei memento mei' was found at Necton, Norfolk and recorded in 1847 in 'Memoirs illustrative of the history and antiquities of Norfok and the city of Norwich'. The British Museum has a similar ring (AF882) as does the Norwich Castle Museum. Another V&A ring (M.226-1962) was found at Hethersett, Norfolk in 1845.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Engraved bronze
Brief description
Bronze buckle type ring, the hoop inscribed in lombardic characters MATER. DEI. MEMANTO. [MEI] ('Mother of God, be mindful of me'). England, 1400-1500.
Physical description
Bronze buckle type ring, the hoop inscribed in lombardic characters MATER. DEI. MEMANTO. [MEI]
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.6cm
  • Width: 2.3cm
  • Depth: 0.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
inscribed MATER. DEI. MEMANTO. [MEI] (the hoop; in lombardic characters)
Translation
'Mother of God, be mindful of me'
Credit line
Given by Dame Joan Evans
Object history
From the Sir John Evans Collection, then Dame Joan Evans.
A purse frame with a variation on this inscription, dated 1450-1500, was recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme (SUR-B93AC3) as was a spoon handle (WMID-5FF2DB). Similar rings were recorded as CORN-4A7DC7, LON-596D94 and BH-7ADF24.
Subjects depicted
Association
Summary
Bronze rings shaped like buckled straps survive in some numbers from the middle ages. This ring is engraved with the Latin motto 'Mater dei memanto' which can be translated as 'Mother of God remember me'. This suggests that they may have been sold at shrines, in the same way as lead pilgrim badges. These rings haven't been linked with a particular shrine but the shape of the ring and the inscription calling upon the Virgin Mary may relate to a shrine holding a girdle relic such as Le Puy in France or Prato, Italy. Girdles which had been blessed at a shrine or inscribed with prayers were sometimes worn by pregnant women during their pregnancy and labour to help ensure a safe delivery such as the girdle hired by Elisabeth of York, wife of Henry VII to help during her pregnancy. It is possible that these rings served a similar purpose although it should be noted that rings in the shape of belts or buckles continued to be made into the nineteenth century.

A ring, described as 'formed like a strap or garter buckled and inscribed 'Mater dei memento mei' was found at Necton, Norfolk and recorded in 1847 in 'Memoirs illustrative of the history and antiquities of Norfok and the city of Norwich'. The British Museum has a similar ring (AF882) as does the Norwich Castle Museum. Another V&A ring (M.226-1962) was found at Hethersett, Norfolk in 1845.
Bibliographic references
  • Church, Rachel, Rings, London, V&A Publishing, 2011, p. 21, fig 19
  • Bury, Shirley, Jewellery Gallery Summary Catalogue (Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982), p. 189, 33/ B/ 25
  • Bury, Shirley, Introduction to Rings, London, 1984, p. 26-7, cat. 29 C
  • Archaeological Association Journal, XIII, pl. 40
Collection
Accession number
M.225-1962

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Record createdFebruary 16, 2006
Record URL
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