Finger Ring with a Cross
Unknown Artist
450–525
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Overall: 5/8 x 13/16 in. (1.6 x 2.1 cm) bezel: 5/8 x 5/8 x 1/8 in. (1.6 x 1.6 x 0.3 cm) band: 13/16 x 1/4 in. (2 x 0.6 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.192.229
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of early medieval Europe with this exquisite *Finger Ring with a Cross crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan around 450–525 CE. Made of gleaming gold, the ring features a bezel shaped like a cross—measuring just 5/8 x 5/8 inches—set atop a slender band, perfect for everyday wear despite its tiny scale (overall 5/8 x 13/16 inches). This delicate metalwork exemplifies the skill of Frankish goldsmiths, hammered and shaped precious metal with precision during the turbulent transition from the Roman Empire to the Germanic kingdoms. Historically, this ring emerges from the Mero...