Medieval Crusaders Bronze finger ring - 20 mm (Zonder minimumprijs)

"Medieval Crusaders Bronze Finger Ring

Culture / Period: Medieval, Crusaders
Date / Period: 12th–14th century A.D.
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: Outer diameter: 20 mm
Condition: Good condition.

No shipping outside theopean Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within theopean Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 780
The current owner purchased this object from a reputable Dutch numismatic auction house in Schiedam, the Netherlands. Due to privacy regulations, the name of the previous owner could not be disclosed. No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:

This bronze finger ring dates to the Crusader period and features a broad circular bezel framed by a scalloped border. The flat bezel appears to have been intended for an engraved design or seal, although any original engraving has become worn through centuries of use. Rings of this general type were widely worn throughout the eastern Mediterranean during the 12th–14th centuries and are characteristic of the material culture of the Crusader period.

Finger rings served multiple purposes in medieval society. Besides functioning as personal ornaments, many also acted as signet rings, allowing the owner to authenticate letters, seal documents, or identify personal property by impressing a design into wax. Where engraved motifs have disappeared through wear, the ring nevertheless preserves the form typical of these practical and symbolic objects.

The Crusader States formed a meeting point between Westernopean, Byzantine, and Islamic artistic traditions. Jewellery produced during this period often reflects this cultural interaction, combiningopean ring forms with decorative features and manufacturing techniques encountered in the Levant. Bronze examples such as this were affordable and durable, making them suitable for everyday wear by merchants, craftsmen, pilgrims, soldiers, and settlers.

The ring was cast in bronze and subsequently finished by hand. Its carefully moulded scalloped bezel demonstrates the skill of medieval metalworkers, while the simple hoop provided strength for long-term use. Similar rings have been recovered from Crusader castles, medieval towns, and pilgrimage sites throughout the eastern Mediterranean, illustrating their widespread distribution through trade and population movement.

Dating to the 12th–14th century A.D., this ring belongs to a period of intense commercial activity and cultural exchange betweenope and the Near East. It represents both the practical craftsmanship and the personal adornment traditions of the medieval Crusader world."