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LOT 0766
Roman Bronze Ring with Inscription
1ST-4TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 in. (0.69 grams, 20.41 mm overall, 19.22 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P, USA 7 1/2, Europe 16.23, Japan 15)).
Slender hoop with rectangular bezel, impressed legend 'ΠΙΧΑ[.]'. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
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AUCTIONS:
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Roman Gold Ring with 'Eye' Gemstone with Engraved Bee
3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,690
Sardonyx cabochon with incuse bee to centre; set in a cell with flanking gold rosettes; hoop formed with three beaded wire bands and granule detailing; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 4.52 grams, 22.29 mm overall, 19.07 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q 1/2, USA 8 1/4, Europe 18.12, Japan 17)
Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the English art market. -
Roman Silver Ring with Early Christian Gemstone
4th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £585
D-section hoop, elliptical in plan, with raised oval bezel set with a jasper intaglio engraved with inverted Greek inscription 'IXΘYC' (ichthys, meaning 'fish"), a Greek acronym for 'Jesus Christ, Son of God; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 9.18 grams, 21.91 mm overall, 18.68 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O 1/2, USA 7 1/4, Europe 15.61, Japan 15)
Private collector, acquired in the early 1990s. Private collection, England.
The term ichthys is the equivalent of the ancient Greek: ixθus, ichthýs ('fish'), used by early Christians to refer to Jesus Christ. For this reason, the fish symbol was very common in the catacombs of Rome. In particular, the ichthys is one of the oldest Christian symbols that has come down to us. Used covertly by Christians to mask their faith from Roman persecutors, when a Christian encountered a stranger whose loyalty he needed to know, he would draw one of the arches that make up the ichthys in the sand. If the stranger completed the sign, the two individuals recognised each other as followers of Christ. The symbol was also drawn on the doors of the houses of Christian families. Its use spread in the 3rd century to personal effects such as the ring offered here. -
Romano-Pannonian Bronze Ring with Ring-and-Dot Design
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
Flat-section hoop with a raised circular bezel with a ring-and-dot motif, a pair of incuse ring-and-dot motifs on each shoulder. 3.51 grams, 22.85 mm overall, 18.61 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N, USA 6 1/2, Europe 13.72, Japan 13)
Acquired on the UK and EU art market before 2000. From the private collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Romano-Pannonian rings of the 3rd century A.D. were characterised by a small circular bezel with wide, sloping shoulders and a fairly thick hoop. The dots decorating them were often filled with enamel.
