Twisted-Rod Gold Finger Ring
The majority of gold finger rings are from finds in the British Isles. Currently, 81 finger rings have been found in Britain and Ireland alone.[2] These gold rings can be made of one strand of a metal or various strands, like the one above. These rings also come from various manufacturing methods: band, single rod, coiled rod, twisted rod, and plaited rod.[3] There was even variation in the how the rods were shaped. This specific ring is abnormal as it is built with rectangular rods and not cylindrical rods.[4] Often, rings, found in both gold and silver, were coiled around a dowel and then the hammered together at the end. After the rings were produced, they entered the Scandinavian world to play a slew of roles.
Since the rings were being used for currency, costume, and gift, the fashion of the rings was ever-changing. For example, by the 12th century, the twisted-rod rings, similar to this ring, fell out of fashion and were replaced with plaited-rod rings.[5] The rings also were being dispersed between small kingdoms and islands as markers of trust and trade. In one example, the Saga of Egil Skallagrimson, the British king, Aethelstan, gives Egil, a Scandinavian, a golden ring as a reward for fighting for him.[6] The ring in this story functions not only as a trade for Egil’s services but also a sign of trust between Egil and Aethelstan.
Overall, rings were in constant motion. A single ring may be used for currency in one area and a gift in another. The dynamic function of the rings helps establish the role of wealth, trust, and currency in Scandinavia and the British Isles. This ring is just a single example of the different shapes, sizes, and parts a ring could be in Scandinavia.
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