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The Greatham Anglo-Saxon Ring
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Description
A late 10th century Anglo-Saxon gold and enamel ring, the raised circular bezel divided by six slightly domed cloisonné cells forming a central expanding cross of green glass, the angles of the cross spaced by four triangular cells of blue glass within a thin blue glass border, mounted within an outer raised collar of twisted rope design, set with a band of granulated beads below, the hoop formed by a concave rectangular strip broadening at the shoulders, with S-shaped filigree scrolls and a kidney-shaped scroll to the base with beaded trefoils, length 22.4mm, bezel diameter 11.9mm. £8,000-£12,000
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Provenance: This ring was discovered by a metal detectorist near Greatham in West Sussex in 2021. It has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database Ref: SUSS-2F13E8 and disclaimed as Treasure.
Greatham is in the parish of Parham, in the Horsham district of West Sussex. From the Saxon era, it was an agricultural community and named Terra Regis (Land of the King), bordering the Royal hunting forest of Woolmer and the river Arun.
In the Domesday book of 1086 the village was recorded as Gretham, with the manor house owned by Queen Edith, the widow of Edward the Confessor and regarded as the richest woman in England. She was the daughter of Earl Godwine of Wessex, who was the father of Harold II, whilst her grandfather Wulfnoth Cild was a thegn of Sussex, and descended from King Aethelred I of Wessex.
Condition Report
The ring is missing a small portion of the hoop which had been squashed from behind (now reshaped). Four of the granulated beads surrounding the bezel are missing together with a tiny section of glass. Otherwise the filigree decoration and enamel are in good condition which suggests the ring was hardly worn before being buried. Only a handful of rings exist from this period.
Weight 3.70gm.
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Provenance: This ring was discovered by a metal detectorist near Greatham in West Sussex in 2021. It has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database Ref: SUSS-2F13E8 and disclaimed as Treasure.
Greatham is in the parish of Parham, in the Horsham district of West Sussex. From the Saxon era, it was an agricultural community and named Terra Regis (Land of the King), bordering the Royal hunting forest of Woolmer and the river Arun.
In the Domesday book of 1086 the village was recorded as Gretham, with the manor house owned by Queen Edith, the widow of Edward the Confessor and regarded as the richest woman in England. She was the daughter of Earl Godwine of Wessex, who was the father of Harold II, whilst her grandfather Wulfnoth Cild was a thegn of Sussex, and descended from King Aethelred I of Wessex.
Condition Report
The ring is missing a small portion of the hoop which had been squashed from behind (now reshaped). Four of the granulated beads surrounding the bezel are missing together with a tiny section of glass. Otherwise the filigree decoration and enamel are in good condition which suggests the ring was hardly worn before being buried. Only a handful of rings exist from this period.
Weight 3.70gm.
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A late 10th century Anglo-Saxon gold and enamel ring, the raised circular bezel divided by six slightly domed cloisonné cells forming a central expanding cross of green glass, the angles of the cross spaced by four triangular cells of blue glass within a thin blue glass border, mounted within an outer raised collar of twisted rope design, set with a band of granulated beads below, the hoop formed by a concave rectangular strip broadening at the shoulders, with S-shaped filigree scrolls and a kidney-shaped scroll to the base with beaded trefoils, length 22.4mm, bezel diameter 11.9mm. £8,000-£12,000
---
Provenance: This ring was discovered by a metal detectorist near Greatham in West Sussex in 2021. It has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database Ref: SUSS-2F13E8 and disclaimed as Treasure.
Greatham is in the parish of Parham, in the Horsham district of West Sussex. From the Saxon era, it was an agricultural community and named Terra Regis (Land of the King), bordering the Royal hunting forest of Woolmer and the river Arun.
In the Domesday book of 1086 the village was recorded as Gretham, with the manor house owned by Queen Edith, the widow of Edward the Confessor and regarded as the richest woman in England. She was the daughter of Earl Godwine of Wessex, who was the father of Harold II, whilst her grandfather Wulfnoth Cild was a thegn of Sussex, and descended from King Aethelred I of Wessex.
Condition Report
The ring is missing a small portion of the hoop which had been squashed from behind (now reshaped). Four of the granulated beads surrounding the bezel are missing together with a tiny section of glass. Otherwise the filigree decoration and enamel are in good condition which suggests the ring was hardly worn before being buried. Only a handful of rings exist from this period.
Weight 3.70gm.
---
Provenance: This ring was discovered by a metal detectorist near Greatham in West Sussex in 2021. It has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database Ref: SUSS-2F13E8 and disclaimed as Treasure.
Greatham is in the parish of Parham, in the Horsham district of West Sussex. From the Saxon era, it was an agricultural community and named Terra Regis (Land of the King), bordering the Royal hunting forest of Woolmer and the river Arun.
In the Domesday book of 1086 the village was recorded as Gretham, with the manor house owned by Queen Edith, the widow of Edward the Confessor and regarded as the richest woman in England. She was the daughter of Earl Godwine of Wessex, who was the father of Harold II, whilst her grandfather Wulfnoth Cild was a thegn of Sussex, and descended from King Aethelred I of Wessex.
Condition Report
The ring is missing a small portion of the hoop which had been squashed from behind (now reshaped). Four of the granulated beads surrounding the bezel are missing together with a tiny section of glass. Otherwise the filigree decoration and enamel are in good condition which suggests the ring was hardly worn before being buried. Only a handful of rings exist from this period.
Weight 3.70gm.
Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Objects of Vertu
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