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Ancient Roman Imperial Cast Bronze Finger Ring — Raised Multi-Prong Claw Setting with Inset Glass Cabochon (US Size 2.5 — c. 1st–3rd Century AD)
Authenticity & Guarantee
Certification: Certified Authentic — includes signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) with full provenance documentation.
Provenance: Ex-private European collection, legally acquired from international sales; Classical Roman Provincial Sphere.
Item Specifications & Exact Dimensions
Object: Cast Bronze Gem-Set Finger Ring / Child's Votive Ring
Culture / Period: Roman Imperial Era
Date Range: Circa 1st Century AD – 3rd Century AD (c. 100 – 300 AD)
Ring Size: US Size 2.5 (Approx. 13.7 mm inner diameter)
Material: Cast Bronze (Copper Alloy) with inset translucent glass / stone cabochon gem
Form & Architecture: Slender round-section bronze hoop expanding into flattened shoulders supporting a prominent elevated circular crown bezel; features raised cast retention prongs/claws securing an intact, domed central dark-amber/garnet-colored glass cabochon
Condition: Exceptional, 100% complete ancient condition. Structural hoop retaining authentic ancient wear-deformation; original glass cabochon preserved intact in situ within its original multi-claw bezel; preserved under a dark charcoal-olive bronze patina with authentic pale sand-tan to desert-cream calcareous burial encrustations hugging the bezel base and inner band. Free of modern restoration or re-setting.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT & TYPOLOGICAL LORE
Roman Glass & Gemstone Jewellery
During the Roman Imperial period, multi-claw and pronged bezel settings were engineered to display polished glass cabochons and semi-precious stones (such as carnelian, garnet, and chalcedony). Intentionally colored glass (vitrum) was a favored material among Roman provincial metalsmiths, mimicking rare precious gems while providing brilliant light refraction in sunlight.
Child's Status Jewellery & Votive Context (US Size 2.5)
At an extremely delicate US Size 2.5 (~13.7 mm inner diameter), this piece represents an authentic Roman child’s status ring or a young girl’s coming-of-age gift. In Roman society, children of patrician or prosperous merchant families were gifted personal jewellery as amulets of health and protection. Rings of this petite size were also dedicated at domestic altars (lararia) or temple sanctuaries as sacred votive offerings (vota) to gods like Minerva or Juno.
Typological Analysis & Exact Classification
Primary Class: Classical Antiquity Personal Equipment & Jewelry / Roman Gem-Set Ring
Sub-Class: Multi-Prong Crown Bezel Glass Cabochon Class
Manufacturing Technique: Lost-wax cast copper alloy (cire perdue) with hand-crimped retention prongs and custom-fitted cast glass cabochon.
Comparable Archaeological Examples & Museum Accession Numbers
British Museum (Accession No. 1917,0501.812): Roman Imperial bronze ring with raised claw bezel setting holding a glass cabochon.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (Accession No. 74.51.4260): Roman provincial child's bronze ring with glass inset.
Museum of London: Roman civilian bronze gem-set finger rings excavated from Roman London (Londinium) settlement strata.
TRN2-2
