Finger Ring
Unknown Artist
7th century
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 15/16 x 7/8 x 3/16 in. (2.4 x 2.3 x 0.5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
Frankish (?)
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.97
Art Historical Context
This delicate silver finger ring, dating to the 7th, hails from the Frankish culture—likely the Merovingian in early medieval Europe. Crafted as fine metalwork, it measures just 15/16 x 7/8 x 3/16 inches, a testament to the exquisite miniaturization skills of Frankish artisans. Such rings were more than mere adornments; they often served as symbols of status, alliance, or personal identity in a warrior society transitioning from late antiquity to the Middle Ages. Silver was a prized medium in this era, valued for its luster and workability, allowing jewelers to create intricate forms through ...