EARLY RINGS

The Hambleton Hardstone Ring

45

ROMANO-BRITISH: A 4TH CENTURY GOLD FINGER RING, the hoop formed of two beaded ligree wire bands separating to form twin spiral shoulders, with small globules to the centres, supporting the bezel of square form with at back plate, the outer roped ange border with inner strip mounted below the slightly cabochon green hardstone, (ring compressed). £2,400–£3,000

Provenance: This ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at Hambleton, North Yorkshire, in 2022. It has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database Ref: YORYM-B6A9F2 and disclaimed as Treasure.

This ring is comparable to rings from the Thetford Hoard (No. 10 and 12) and possibly from the same workshop. Chrysoprase is a variety of chalcedony of apple green colour. It was used by both the Greek and Romans as gemstones but examples are rare.

Chrysoprase was the tenth foundation stone of the celestial Jerusalem. (Apocrypha, XXI v. 20) and one of the twelve sacred gemstones listed in Revelations XX..

According to a PMI test on an XRF Analyzer, the ring is testing as 96.35% gold alloyed with silver and traces of iron and copper.

All lots are subject to extra charges which may be viewed in Ts and Cs 3, 4, 5 and 10 at the back of this catalogue.