GOLD RING – CROSS AND GARNET
Early Christian: Eastern Roman - Byzantine, Circa 7th – 10th Century AD
An attractive ancient gold ring with a central cross motif. The bezel is dish shaped with tiny gold beads set around the inner rim. The primary design element is an equal armed cross, delicately composed of gold wire and beads at the corners of the cross arms. At the center of the cross is a small round garnet gem. This ring is in an excellent state of preservation - the soft, high carat gold band has some surface toning and evidence of wear.
Provenance: from a German collection, found in Asia Minor.
Byzantine lives were centered on an ordered Christian hierarchy offering salvation through Christ. By the 5th and 6th centuries, the cross replaced the Chi-Rho as the standard emblem of religious devotion. Its meaning transcended that of the simple monogram to visually recall the crucifixion. The cross was worn by individuals from every social stratum, from the elaborate bejeweled golden cross of the patriarch to the simple crosses of the common man.
Weight: 3.45 gm, Bezel: 15 mm diameter, Size: 7 ½ - 7 ¾
