Find Spot record 15863 - Copper Alloy Ring from Malpas

<1> Portable Antiquities Scheme, Various, Portable Antiquities Data Import, LVPL-502ADC (Digital Archive). SCH5212.

A complete copper alloy coiled or spiral, probable finger ring, of uncertain dating (100 BC to 800 AD). The probable finger ring consists of a sub-rectangular section length of copper alloy metal twisted into a spiral. Both ends terminated with rounded corners. No makers' marks are present on the interior or exterior. The ring expands in width in the centre, tapering in width towards each terminal. The ring measures 6mm in width in the centre tapering to 3mm in width at the terminals. The outer face of the finger ring is decorated with two bands of undulating or wave-like motifs. At the centre of the ring an undecorated band measuring 3mm separates the motifs which come together towards the terminals as the object tapers. The object has a mid-green patina and a rough surface. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail. Dimensions: 21mm in diameter, 6mm in height. Spiral finger rings are a common find during the Late Iron Age to Roman period (100 BC to 410 AD), however they are normally made from copper alloy, with a circular sectioned wire or piece of metal. A similar example has been recorded as WMID-24AB05 on the PAS database (see 2), albeit made from silver. Dr Jody Joy (British Museum) commented on that example that it could be Iron Age (although I would expect the metal to have a more circular or rectangular cross-section) but this type of finger ring is used through the Bronze Age into the early medieval period.

<2> The British Museum, Portable Antiquities Scheme Online Database, LVPL-502ADC, WMID-24AB05 (Web Site). SCH5176.