https://imgur.com/a/Y8bzL6L (https://imgur.com/a/Y8bzL6L)
I bought this ring for €50 from a Dutch seller who bought it at a 'archaeological-find-sell' (my best translate from Dutch) in Delft.
He claims its origins are:
Dug up in England
Made from Billion (alloy)
From the 1st to 4th century A.D.
Has a inprint of the god Mars
Do you guys think the statements above are legit? And could you tell me someting about this piece?
Lars it may well be from England, contain some silver and feature a Greco-Roman god on the bezel - whatever. But it is certainly not Roman. The octagonal bezel of stepped design indicates a likely origin roughly between the 15th and 18th century. Hard to be certain from a photograph because this design remained in circulation for centuries in Europe. A number of stylistically similar examples are featured in the 'Ralph Harari Collection of Finger Rings" by John Boardman & Diana Scarisbrick. The greenish patina on the underside betrays a predominantly copper alloy. Classical gods/goddesses never went out of fashion, and continued to appear throughout the late medieval, Renaissance and "Neoclassical periods.
Gaius
Worthwhile to show images I think.
Thanks for your reply!
I was mainly looking for an authentic ring (not faked this century :)
But 15th to 18th century, i'll take it!