Northern Europe, Viking culture, ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A solid gold ring made of twisted, braided 16 karat gold wires that taper a solid gold band. This would have belonged to a wealthy Viking with a large hand. Many Vikings did not have a standard minted currency available to them, and so instead kept their wealth in the form of jewelry made from precious metals. A common practice seems to have been to amass a hoard of these objects and then deposit them, often in water sources like rivers. Gold rings - like all gold objects - were rare, and are only found in graves of the highest status. In pagan Viking culture, so roughly before the turn of the millennium, gold rings were used to swear oaths on and as markers of the godi, members of the Thing (governing assembly); some scholars have speculated that their deposition in hoards was an attempt to save them from violation with the coming sweep of Christianity. Perhaps this ring has a similar history. Size: 1.1" W (2.8 cm); 11.7 grams; US size 8.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#136235

Slight bending to form. Wearable.