Archaic Greek Electrum/Silver Finger Ring

An archaic Greek finger ring (circa late VIth century BC to early Vth century BC) with an elongated diamond shaped flattened bezel depicting a lion running from left to right with its head bent looking over its back; the bezel is surrounded by a notched (rope) border. The ring was seemingly made from a bar of metal that was round in cross section, bent back to form the shank and soldered in the back. Traces of the solder can still be seen. A quantitative/qualitative analysis of the alloy has not been made.

For similar examples, see:

1. Marshall, F.H. Catalogue of the Finger Rings Greek, Etruscan, Roman in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum, London, 1907 (1968 re-print): page 8, No. 35, Plate I; and page 166, No. 1031, Plate XXVI.

2. Boardman, John Greek Gems and Finger Rings, Abrams, New York, 1970: pages 156, 157; Numbers 429 and 430 (Group F).

3. Battke, H. & Regner, O.F. Rings aus vier Jahrthausanden, Schmuckmuseum, Pforzheim/Frankfurt, 1963: Number 15.

4. Musee du Louvre, Jewelry from the Campana Collection, AGER Bj 1344 (silver).

5. Laffineur, Robert Collection Paul Canellopoulos (XV), Bijous en or Grecs et Romaines in Bulletin de correspondence hellenique, Vol. 104, 1980: page 387, No. 65 (figs 68 and 69).

Treasure!

1. Once upon a time, when in my early teens, I took a long walk along the beach. Growing tired, a sat against a sand dune, folded my hands behind my head, and watched the waves slide up the beach. My elbow touched the sand and started a small avalanche. As the sand slid down the dune beside me, out tumbled this gold ring! Realizing what it was, I was overcome with the romance of buried treasure, Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, and began to claw at the dune in a frenzied effort to find more treasure; but alas, there was no treasure chest, no pathetic bones of a child... nothing. The sea was generous and for that I am grateful. The ring is stamped 14K, is about size 1 or 1 1/2, may have belonged to a child, and probably dates to the 1870's or 80's.I now have a metal detector but only find modern coins, lead sinkers, fishhooks and soda can tabs, Who wore this ring, what happened to them? How did the ring wind up on the beach for me to find? Who made it? Why was it made? Such questions only add to the romance of a ring
   

!