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_900x900.jpg "Large Byzantine Silver Archer's Ring")
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LOT 1071
Large Byzantine Silver Archer's Ring
14TH-15TH CENTURY A.D.
1 3/8 in. (22.61 grams, 34.77 mm overall, 25.16 mm internal diameter).
Comprising a hoop with reserved triangular ornament on the edges and triangular plaque with foliage motifs, raised central panel with frond motif.
ProvenanceAcquired in the 1990s.
Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.
Cf. Bikic, V., ‘Beyond the Jewellery: Archer’s Rings in the Medieval Balkans (14th-15th centuries)’ in Bosselmann-Ruickbie, A. (ed.), New Research on Late Byzantine Goldsmiths’ Works (13th-15th Centuries), Mainz, 2019, figs.5, 6, 7.
FootnotesArcher rings in Late Byzantium and the medieval Balkans were connected with the employment of the powerful composite bow, but very often, in the 14th century they served as insignia of rank for aristocratic noblemen. Archaeological findings of archers’ rings originate mainly from fortified towns, including mining centres. Many were made in bone, simple in design and undecorated. In contrast, the ones made in bronze and silver were usually decorated in rather uniform style, consisting of floral motifs on the head, mostly tulip and foliage, and linear motifs around the edges. This decoration combined Turkish, Central European and Eastern Roman traditional patterns.
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LOT 1071
Large Byzantine Silver Archer's Ring
Estimate £600 - 800€700 - 930 (for guidance only)$810 - 1,080 (for guidance only)
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Byzantine Bronze Archer's Thumb Ring
14th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Comprising a tapering hoop and triangular plaque, three bands of incised ornament. 9.59 grams, 27.27 mm overall, 21.60 mm internal diameter (approximate size British X 1/2, USA 11 3/4, Europe 26.92, Japan 25)
Acquired by the vendor's father on the UK art market, before 1990. -
Roman Bronze Military Helmet Face Guard Section
3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
From the right side of the face mask, the upper edge with a band of embossed diagonal lines, probably intending to represent stylised hair, embossed spiral to the centre, a symbol clearly connected with the worship of the sun; a hole for the fastening thongs at ear-level which originally linked the face-guard to the bowl. 75 grams, 13 cm high
Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.
The spiral decoration of the face-guard is connected with the solar cult. The spiral represents the rotary movement of the sun, and the spiral is probably the oldest known spiritual symbol connected with the sun, together with the swastika or tetragammadion. The connection can also be seen in Celtic art, where the representation of the spiral also follows the path of the sun, describing the movements of the heavenly body over the course of a solar year. The third century was characterised by diffusion of the solar cult, the Sol Invictus, among the Roman soldiers, with its symbols often represented on arms and weapons as an apotropaic element of protection. -
Viking Iron Sword with Inlaid Hilt
8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,240
Comprising a double-edged tapering blade showing shallow fullers and wide cutting edges; boat-shaped lower guard with inlaid vertical copper bands; the upper guard decorated in similar fashion; five-lobed pommel with deep grooves between the lobes, each lobe inlaid with copper bands. 1.05 kg, 90 cm
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11592-199910.
It is the decoration and the structure of the sword that suggest classifying it as a type H of Petersen, rather than type R which usually presents a five-lobed pommel. The copper markings are artistically consistent with archaeological examples of decorative work of Viking swords, notably with the one in Suomen Kansallismuseo, Helsinki, published by Peirce (2002, pp.6off.). The decoration, which here takes the form of vertical copper lines, is striped as on the Helsinki specimen.
