Lot 63B
Near East, Byzantine, ca. 5th century CE. A magnificent gold signet ring of exceptionally high purityover 23.5 karatsset with a finely carved chalcedony intaglio. The translucent stone bears a Greek inscription reading IPPOTIHI, a female name derived from hippos (steed) and tyche (good fortune)suggesting noble or auspicious connotations. The ovoid bezel features a convex reverse, bordered by three tightly twisted gold wires, while a pair of delicate gold granules flanks each shoulder. A striking example of early Byzantine personal adornment, blending elegance, symbolism, and skilled craftsmanship.Size of ring: 0.9" Diameter (2.3 cm); size of signet: 0.6" L x 0.5" W (1.5 cm x 1.3 cm); US ring size: 7; gold quality: 98.5% (equivalent to over 23.5 karats); weight: 5.7 grams
Rings were of particularly high importance in the Byzantine era, as evidenced by this incredible example, and they generally were modeled after Roman styles using similar techniques, and Byzantine jewelry in turn influenced the Medieval world. Status has always been conveyed using jewelry, however the wealth and prosperity of the Byzantine Empire ensured the widespread ownership of finer jewelry - so much so, that when Emperor Justinian enacted the set of laws known as the Justinian Code, there was a specific decree that restricted certain precious stones to exclusively royal use, while every free man was entitled to a gold ring. The techniques and materials that went into this piece, all speak to the wealth of the wearer and skill of the artisans, adept at crafting jewelry from precious materials.
Gary Vikan in "Early Christian and Byzantine Rings in the Zucker Family Collection" notes, "No article of personal adornment was more prevalent in Byzantine society nor more important to the conduct of an individual's private and public business than was a signet ring. The emperor wore an official ring as a symbol of power and as an implement for the authentication of certain communications and documents, and the same was true for a wide range of civil and ecclesiastical officials. As for the average citizen, signets in their locking capacity were essential for the maintenance of personal security, whereas signets in their authenticating capacity were required by law for the validation of wills and testaments. Beyond this, rings functioned in a purely social context as jewelry - as a natural and traditional mode of self adornment" (The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery 45, 1987: page 32).
Provenance: private Boynton Beach, Florida, USA collection; ex-private Vaters collection, Vienna, Austria
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#180009
- Condition: Slight bending to band and some very miniscule surface wear, as expected with age, but otherwise Intact, excellent, and wearable. Inscription is very clear and ring form is impressively well preserved.
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