Ring
ca. 1300 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Most of the precious stones used in medieval jewellery came from such countries as Afghanistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and India. Garnets, however, came from Eastern Europe, and were thus more readily available and affordable. They are among the most popular of stones used in jewellery. During the medieval period, gems were not generally cut, but polished, accounting for the naturally-occuring irregular shape such as found on this ring.
In the early Middle Ages, lapidaries (texts describing the medical and magical powers of gemstones) by earlier authors such as Theophrastus and Pliny were rediscovered. Each gemstone had a particular use – the Peterborough lapidary described garnet as useful for sharpening the judgment and exciting and stimulating the blood.
In the early Middle Ages, lapidaries (texts describing the medical and magical powers of gemstones) by earlier authors such as Theophrastus and Pliny were rediscovered. Each gemstone had a particular use – the Peterborough lapidary described garnet as useful for sharpening the judgment and exciting and stimulating the blood.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gold, engraved; garnet |
| Brief description | Gold ring, the raised bezel set with a polished garnet. The hoop inscribed A/ M/ I/ A/ M, the letters filled with black composition. The shoulders decorated with quatrefoils. Possibly England or France, ca. 1300. |
| Physical description | Gold ring, the raised bezel set with an polished garnet. The exterior of the hoop is inscribed with A/ M/ I/ A/ M, the letters filled with black composition, and is further decorated with channels incised into the band and with quatrefoils at the shoulders. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | A/ M/ I/ A/ M (Hoop; the engraved letters filled with black composition)
|
| Credit line | Given by Dame Joan Evans |
| Object history | Bought at Peterborough in 1926 |
| Subject depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Most of the precious stones used in medieval jewellery came from such countries as Afghanistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and India. Garnets, however, came from Eastern Europe, and were thus more readily available and affordable. They are among the most popular of stones used in jewellery. During the medieval period, gems were not generally cut, but polished, accounting for the naturally-occuring irregular shape such as found on this ring. In the early Middle Ages, lapidaries (texts describing the medical and magical powers of gemstones) by earlier authors such as Theophrastus and Pliny were rediscovered. Each gemstone had a particular use – the Peterborough lapidary described garnet as useful for sharpening the judgment and exciting and stimulating the blood. |
| Bibliographic reference | Campbell, Marian, Medieval Jewellery in Europe 1100-1500, London, V&A Publishing, 2009, p. 29, fig. 26 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.288-1962 |
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| Record created | March 14, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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