A gold annular band with rectangular-section hoop, plaited wire bezel and shoulders composed of three facetted gold wire strands hammered together at the lower shoulder, with an interesting ancient stepped joint to the band.

PROVENANCE:
Found while searching with a metal detector near the village of Sutton, Kent, UK, by Paul Smith on Monday 12th August 2019; declared as treasure and disclaimed by the crown under Treasure case tracking number 2019T856; accompanied by a copy of the Portable Antiquities Scheme Report (PAS) with reference number KENT-E2042E; a copy of the Treasure Receipt from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; a copy a letter from the British Museum disclaiming the object to the finder; and the Report on find of Potential Treasure to HM Coroner; and a letter from the finder describing the circumstances of finding.

LITERATURE:
Cf. The British Museum, museum number 1870,0402.77, for a ring of similar style and date; cf. The Portable Antiquities Scheme Database, id. SUSS-C6C345; SF-1E15D7; WAW-0C7587; WILT-C90DD5; GLO-37A922 and YORYM-F67716, for rings of similar style and date; cf. Oman, C., British Rings 800-1914, London, 1974, pl. 12, fig. D for similar; see Graham-Campbell, J., The Cuerdale Hoard and related Viking-Age silver and gold from Britain and Ireland in the British Museum, London, 2011, pp.259-263.

FOOTNOTES:
Gold rings of this style and date are a relatively rare find, although broad parallels are known. The associated PAS report suggests a date of 'c. AD 900-1100' for this ring.