Wearable Roman Pagan Magical Evil Eye Ring Size 6+AD200

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source eBay

Click to see almost 800 archaeology/ancient history books and 500 authentic ancient artifacts on our eBay store! Size 6 1/2 Genuine Ancient Marquise Shaped Roman Bronze Ring with Christian/Pagan Motif Concentric Circles 200 AD. CLASSIFICATION : Ancient Roman Bronze Ring with bezel featuring three engraved concentric circles - symbols of both Roman Paganism and ancient Christianity. ATTRIBUTION : Eastern Roman Empire (Moesia), 2nd Century A.D. SIZE/MEASUREMENTS : Fits ring size 6 1/2. (U.S.) Bezel: 13mm (length) * 3 1/2mm (breadth). Fixed Width 1mm Band. Diameter: 20mm * 19 1/2mm (outer diameter); 17mm (inner diameter). Weight: 1.13 grams. CONDITION : Very good, though slightly deformed. Completely intact, moderately light wear, moderately light porosity (surface pitting caused by contact with earth while buried). Professionally conserved. DETAIL : A nicely preserved, well crafted and detailed, dainty ancient Roman bronze ring circa second century A.D. As you can see, the design is elegant though simple, and the motif distinctly religious. The "bezel" or center part of this ring possesses three engraved concentric circles. While the concentric circles are quite common for the era, nonetheless the result is a ring which is very modern and distinctive in appearance - a classic and timeless design. Though the ring was fashioned out of two pieces (the band separate from the bezel) which were they attached - this being the typical archaic method common to the time - nonetheless the ring almost looks like a one-piece band. This is why the ring seems so sleek and modern in style. The ring has a very rich, almost golden tone to it, quite characteristic of ancient bronze. The symbolism of these concentric circles found on items of personal adornment arose in very ancient times...much more ancient even than the Romans, Greeks, or Phoenicians. This ring would have served as protection against adverse influences of the "evil eye". Ancient pagan beliefs encompassed the idea that a glance from a powerful and evil individual could bring about adverse consequences. Thus some sort of protection against such an event was considered by many imperative. This concentric circle design, affording protection to the wearer from the "evil eye", was increasing adopted by and associated with those of the ancient Christian faith. So much so that even though the symbolism of the concentric circles arose from more ancient times, by the 3rd century A.D. concentric circles were increasingly associated with and regarded as an expression of Christianity. By the sixth century such concentric circles were associated almost exclusively with the Christian faith, and rings, bracelets, and pendants worn by citizens of the Byzantine/Christian Empire commonly carried this theme. Byzantine era cross pendants would be depicted with five such circles representing the five wounds Christ suffered during crucifixion (hands, feet, crown of thorns, spear to the sides). While it is impossible to say with certainly whether this ring was designed expressly for the purpose of making a statement of Christianity, it is possible. Certainly at the time this ring was crafted the artisan making the ring would have known that the symbol was closely associated with Christianity. All of the metal work exhibits very fine workmanship, and is entirely intact - though it is obvious by examining the bezel that the ring was worn in life. The ring is ever so slightly distorted by the ordeal of soil pressure during its burial period of almost two millennia. Nonetheless it is quite wearable, the distortion very slight. Overall the engraved and design elements of the design remain very sharply preserved. And you have to look pretty closely to see the telltale signs indicating the ring was buried for millennia. Most small artifacts such as this suffer extensive degradation from porosity, which is fine surface pitting c... read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.