Description:

Northern Europe, Viking culture, ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A splendid ring comprised of over 21 karat gold featuring a twisted form of thicker and finer threads that taper to a singular band at one end. Many Vikings did not have a standard minted currency available to them, and so instead kept their wealth in the form of jewelry made from precious metals. A common practice seems to have been to amass a hoard of these objects and then deposit them, often in water sources like rivers. Gold rings - like all gold objects - were rare, and are only found in graves of the highest status. In pagan Viking culture, so roughly before the turn of the millennium, gold rings were used to swear oaths on and as markers of the godi, members of the Thing (governing assembly); some scholars have speculated that their deposition in hoards was an attempt to save them from violation with the coming sweep of Christianity. Perhaps this ring has a similar history. Size: 1" Diameter (2.5 cm); US ring size: 7.75; gold quality: 91% (over 21 karats); weight: 10.3 grams

Provenance: private London, UK collection, London Art Market 1990s.

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#190619

  • Condition: Intact, excellent, and wearable with light earthen deposits to surface.

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December 6, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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