Medieval Crusader Bronze Ring with Blue Glass Setting Culture / Period: Medieval, Crusaders Date / Period: 11th–14th century A.D. Material: Bronze and blue glass Dimensions: Outer diameter: 19 mm Condition: Good condition No shipping outside the European 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 the European Union before placing a bid. Provenance information: Object Registration ID: 697 The current owner purchased the Medieval Crusader bronze ring with blue glass setting from a private collector, N.N. The previous owner, a private collector, N.N. from the Netherlands, stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990s. According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1990s. No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner. Background Information: This cast bronze finger ring is set with a blue glass insert secured within a raised claw setting. Rings of this type were widely worn throughout the Crusader period and reflect the blending of European, Byzantine, and Near Eastern jewellery traditions that characterised the eastern Mediterranean during the 11th–14th centuries. Bronze rings with coloured glass settings offered an attractive and affordable alternative to precious gemstones. They were worn by men and women alike as personal ornaments and, in some cases, may also have carried symbolic or devotional significance. Blue glass was especially valued for its resemblance to more expensive stones such as sapphire, while remaining readily available through the well-developed glassmaking industry of the medieval Near East. These rings were produced by skilled craftsmen using established casting techniques before the glass setting was carefully mounted into the bezel. Similar examples have been recovered from Crusader castles, towns, pilgrimage centres, and settlements throughout the Levant, illustrating the exchange of artistic styles and manufacturing traditions between Western Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. Dating to the 11th–14th century A.D., this ring belongs to a period of extensive cultural interaction and commercial exchange. It forms a tangible connection to the medieval world, where jewellery of this kind combined personal adornment with skilled craftsmanship and reflected the diverse cultural influences of the Crusader era.