Early Byzantine Gold Ring with Christ c. 6th Century AD

Byzantine (the Eastern Roman Empire) circa 500 – 600 AD.

This highly important, museum rarity early Christian gold ring is engraved with the bust of Christ holding a Gospel Book. His nimb is decorated with a cross. Christ is flanked by two crosses, one is slightly higher than the other.

There is a gold ring similar in shape and composition of the image with the Virgin and Christ Child in the center flanked by two crosses (the left cross is also engraved slightly higher than the cross on the right side): a ring is in the Byzantine collection at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C., That ring is stated to be a part of the late 6th century jewelry treasury. See Catalog of The Byzantine and Early Mediaeval Antiquities in The Dumbarton Oaks Collection, Volume 2, page 138, O, and plate XCVIII.

It is possible that this ring and the ring at Dumbarton Oaks were produced at the same workshop at the same time period.

The round gold plaque with Christ has a diameter of 12 mm (almost 1/2 in.)

Weight is 6.62 grams.

Approximate ring size 10 (21 mm) resizable

Condition: solid gold ring, all original, itact and wearable.