Featured IDing Unattributed Potentially Ancient/Medieval Rings

I am an ancient and medieval coin collector that very rarely will pick up a random antiquity at numismatic auctions.

I have always been curious about some of the jewelries and rings included in these auctions, which are often either totally unattributed or attributed so vaguely that who knows.

This weekend, I saw the ability to pick up a bunch of interesting looking rings, to me, for between $8 and $20 a piece, averaging around $11. I have no expectations and am aware I may have bought a bunch of recent-ish junk, but I felt lucky and decided to gamble.

Any thoughts on attributing these?

https://imgur.com/a/U7E4GzR

 

Hello, MRV. What specifically do you mean by "attributed"? If you mean to identify the maker, think you're out of luck. I, too, think they're interesting, & not recent-ish junk although I don't see Roman here. Did the seller have anything to say about them? What is your own opinion?

 

This is a useful link
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/antique-and-ancient-finger-ring-resource-page.57519/

 

Thank you, Bronwen for your question and KSW for your link.

To answer you question, Bronwen, I definitely do not expect attribution to a specific maker -- I'd love to be to identify civilization of origin and a general ballpark of creation.

There is no information from seller whatsoever -- it was all put up in an auction I suspect as part of a hoard.

I was taking the shot on the hope that some of the colored glass rings were late antiquity Roman/Byzantine or medieval.

 

On the off chance that someone can double-check my work, using the link KSW gave, I'd suggest for example that:

https://www.biddr.com/auctions/nbsauctions/browse?a=3985&l=4688556
https://www.biddr.com/auctions/nbsauctions/browse?a=3985&l=4688559

Appear to fit within the definition of Giruad 4a/4e.

Whereas this one with the four claws:

https://www.biddr.com/auctions/nbsauctions/browse?a=3985&l=4688569

Seems more medieval due to the four claws being called out there.

Things like this, with a more ornamented bezel, I do know where to place: https://www.biddr.com/auctions/nbsauctions/browse?a=3985&l=4688552

 

It would be reasonable to look at Viking rings for the iron ones. Roman soldiers also wore iron rings.

 

Here's a garnet & turquoise ring described as Medieval:

https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rin...OpyAhW4Ky4l998nTwgIaAoQIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

First I am not a specialist in rings by any means, but I searched with a metal detector for a few years.

The one with the eagle looks a bit like a ring from somewhere in the Holy Roman Empire 17th century????

The last one reminds me of a early medieval disc brooch (fibula).

Finally I would be very scared to buy those rings because they are so easy and cheap to replicate. I think 99% (at least) is fake in my opinion.

 

Man how wrong I was hahaha. I had luck and with my first hit on google:


https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces993.html

 

Hmmm, now I am thinking about this and the other rings: if they originate from Syria and they are original, they are probably robbed from archaeological sites by people there to earn some cash. I am not continuing my little search. Sorry.

 

The Eagle of Saladin as such is an older symbol, but the one on the ring, with the two stars in the shield, is indeed the Syrian one imo. It was first used during the union with Egypt in the UAR, 1958-61.

The ones with glass inlay all look like they could be fairly recent Middle Eastern rings as well.
Given the events of the last few years, and the way IS is funded, I will join EL in not saying any more about the rings.

What I can say is, jewellery from current war zones can look like European archaeological jewellery, or indeed Middle Eastern archaeological jewellery. The Roman and Byzantine empires are part of the history of the Middle East, and jewellery and glass making in historic Greater Syria was excellent. Many traditions continue to this day.

If you don't know much about the subject, or if items don't have a verifiable documented provenance, please stay away from them. Don't fund looters, fakers and terrorists.