Roman Silver Ring with Goddess Gemstone
2nd-3rd century A.D. or later. A silver ring composed of a convex ellipsoid hoop, expanding at the shoulders to a raised oval bezel with collar, set with a green jasper intaglio gemstone engraved with the image of a goddess, carrying a staff and a laurel crown. Cf. Ruseva-Slokoska, L., Roman Jewellery, Sofia, 1991, items 243-244, for type. 8.43 grams, 23.53 mm overall, 19.80 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.09, Japan 12) (1 in.). Acquired in the late 1990s-2000.Property of an East London gentleman. The ring presents similarities with the type II, variant 1 of the Ruseva-Slokoska classification. Many rings with images of divinities were found by the archaeologists as votive offerings to the divinities engraved on the bezel. It is difficult to interpret which divinity is represented in this ring, but the sceptre and the laurel crown could hint at it being Hera or Juno.