Gold ring with a garnet
Unknown Artist
300–250 BCE
Medium
Gold, garnet, finger bone
Dimensions
H. of bezel 13/16 in. (2 cm) width of bezel 5/8 in. (1.6 cm) H. of hoop 13/16 in. (2 cm)
Classification
Gold and Silver
Culture & Period
Greek · Hellenistic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of David L. Davis, 1961
Accession Number
61.89a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gold ring with a garnet, crafted around 300–250 BCE during the Hellenistic period, exemplifies the opulent jewelry of ancient Greece. Originating from a time when Alexander the Great's conquests fused Greek artistry with Eastern influences, the ring features a bezel set with a vibrant garnet gemstone, measuring just 13/16 inch (2 cm) high and 5/8 inch (1.6 cm) wide. Its hoop, also 13/16 inch (2 cm) high, showcases the fine goldsmithing techniques of the era, where artisans hammered and soldered thin gold sheets into intricate forms. The inclusion of a finger bone in the medium ...