This ring belonged to William Wytlesey, Archbishop of Canterbury between 1362 and 1374. It is said to have been found in his tomb. It seems that bishops frequently chose sapphires for their rings. Of 20 rings found in the graves of English medieval bishops, twelve are sapphires. A bishop receives a ring at his consecration and wears a ring as a symbol of his office. We do not know whether this ring was William Wytlesey's consecration ring, or one of a number of rings which he owned.
Sapphires were believed to be particularly suited to bishops because of their heavenly colour. They were thought to expel envy, comfort the heart, detect fraud and witchcraft and obtain esteem from the wearer's lord. The hole drilled through the sapphire was believed to increased its power or 'virtue'.
Physical description
Ring: gold, sapphire. A gold ring with a six-cusped setting holding a drilled octagonal sapphire. The hoop is stirrup shaped, and the shoulders of the ring are chased with floral sprays, formerly enamelled. Inscribed inside the hoop in black letter wllms wytlesey [William Wytlesey].
Place of Origin
Canterbury, United Kingdom (said to have been, worn)
Date
ca. 1362-1374 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Gold, chased, engraved; sapphire, drilled
Marks and inscriptions
wllms wytlesey 'William Wytlesey'
Dimensions
Height: 3.1 cm, Width: 2.8 cm, Depth: 1.4 cm
Object history note
Said to have been found in the grave of William Wytlesey, Archbishop of Canterbury (d.1374).
Historical significance: Pierced stones were said to have more 'virtue', that is they possessed enhanced curative or talsimanic propoerties.
Descriptive line
A gold ring set with a drilled octagonal sapphire, inscribed inside the hoop in black letter wllms wytlesey, England, 1362-1374
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Campbell, Marian, Medieval Jewellery in Europe 1100-1500, London, V&A Publishing, 2009, p.46, fig.44
Age of Chivalry: Art in Plantagenet England 1200-1400, Alexander, J. and Binski, P. (eds), London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1987, no.639, pp.482-3
Bury, Shirley, Introduction to Rings, London, 1984, cat.26 D
Ward, Anne; Cherry, John; Gere, Charlotte; Cartlidge, Barbara, The Ring, London, 1981, cat.148
Oman, Charles, British Rings:800-1914, London, 1974, cat.18C
Church, Rachel, Rings, London, V&A Publishing, 2011, cat. 4
Exhibition History
Age of Chivalry: Art in Plantagenet England 1200-1400 (Royal Academy of Arts 06/11/1987-06/03/1988)
Materials
Gold; Sapphire
Techniques
Engraving; Chasing; Drilling
Subjects depicted
Floral sprays
Categories
Metalwork; Jewellery; Amulets
Collection code
MET
