Its elegantly proportioned yellow gold arch surmounted by a cabochon blue sapphire
The patina of the ring giving it a rich buttery colour, typical of gold which has been buried for centuries.
Length: 26.02 mm (from top of bezel to back of hoop),
Internal diameter: 19.10 mm
Weight: 3.17 grams.
Provenance
Discovered by a metal detectorist in the parish of Wigmore, Herefordshire on the 16th Septmber 2020. The ring was declared as treasure, given treasure case number: 2020 T721, and recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme as HESH-88BE32.
The term ‘Stirrup’ was used by nineteenth century antiquarians to describe the shape of this type of ring. It was later observed they mimic forms found in medieval and particularly Norman architecture. The ring follows the shape of a Norman stone arch.
These finger ring are typical of 14th century; however the date range can stretch from c.1150 to c.1500 (Egan and Pritchard, 2002:326).
