Signet Ring
15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Rings are the most commonly surviving medieval jewels. They were worn by both sexes, across all levels of society. Some portraits show wearers with multiple rings across all their fingers. Although rings were worn for decoration, they also had important practical functions. Signet rings such as this one were pressed into sealing wax to create a unique, legally recognised signature.
Signets could be engraved with a coat of arms for those entitled to bear them, with a personal device or simply with an initial letter.
Signets could be engraved with a coat of arms for those entitled to bear them, with a personal device or simply with an initial letter.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Engraved silver |
| Brief description | Silver signet ring with an octagonal bezel engraved with a coat of arms, Europe, 15th century |
| Physical description | Silver signet ring with an octagonal bezel engraved with the coat of arms with a fesse embattled with a cross moline in sinister chief and inscribed in Lombardic characters '+ H. IO. DIA. BEIE.', |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | '+ H. IO. DIA. BEIE.' (Inscribed in Lombardic characters) |
| Credit line | Given by Dame Joan Evans |
| Object history | The word 'beie' appears in the Middle English Ancrene Wisse, (Robert Hasenfrantz 'Glossary' to the Ancrene Wisse - beie (v., pres. 3 subj. sing.) (might) bend [OE, related to buhen (v.)]. It relates to the verb 'buhen', meaning to bow, bend; kneel; be submissive; submit to, obey. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Rings are the most commonly surviving medieval jewels. They were worn by both sexes, across all levels of society. Some portraits show wearers with multiple rings across all their fingers. Although rings were worn for decoration, they also had important practical functions. Signet rings such as this one were pressed into sealing wax to create a unique, legally recognised signature. Signets could be engraved with a coat of arms for those entitled to bear them, with a personal device or simply with an initial letter. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.253-1962 |
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| Record created | January 31, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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