Ancient or Early Medieval Bronze Ring

Quick info:

• Period: Ancient to early medieval (circa 8th century BCE to 10th century CE)
• Material: Bronze alloy
• Origin: Central or Eastern Europe, possibly Roman or Byzantine
• Size (diameter): 20mm

This ring was recovered in central or eastern Europe, and is part of a collection of small bronze artifacts formerly acquired by a New York City based gallery in the 2000's. It dates back to approximately 800 BCE to 1000 CE, though exact dating is difficult—unlike coins, which typically show an emperor or other clue, jewelry rarely has any descriptive markings.

Artifacts such as these are often attributed to the Romans, but in reality it is hard to say which culture produced a piece like this without further information. A large wealth of various bronze items were produced by the Roman and later Byzantine empires, and there is a strong chance that this artifact is among them—however, it is impossible to know for sure as it could also predate the Romans by many centuries.

Wearing these rings is not recommended. They are very fragile as the metal has become brittle over the centuries, and ancient bronze often contains lead (which can possibly cause health issues if worn for prolonged amounts of time).

All purchases include a Certificate of Authenticity. You will receive the exact ring in this photo, along with a glass top leatherette display box as shown.