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Size 7 1/2 Genuine Ancient Roman Celtic "Evil Eye" Shape Bronze Ring with "Concentric Circles" Fourth Century A.D.

CLASSIFICATION: Heavy Ancient Roman/Celtic Bronze Ring in the shape of an eye with six "concentric circles" - ancient pagan shamanistic religious symbolism affording protection against the "evil eye". Eye bears engraved symbols and/or the letter "K".

ATTRIBUTION: Eastern Roman Empire (Thracia), Fourth Century A.D.

SIZE/MEASUREMENTS: Fits ring size 7 1/2 (U.S.).

Bezel: 19mm (length) * 7 1/2mm (width) * 3mm (thickness).

Diameter: 21 1/2mm * 20mm (outer diameter); 18 1/2mm (inner diameter).

Tapered Width Band: 5mm (width at bezel) * 3mm (width at sides) * 2mm (width at back).

Weight: 3.05 grams.

CONDITION: Excellent! Completely intact, moderately light wear, little porosity (surface pitting caused by contact with earth while buried). Professionally conserved.

DETAIL: This is a remarkable ring, handsomely and ruggedly constructed. The bezel clearly is in the shape of an eye. The most remarkable features are the engraved symbols or letters on the surface of the eye. Although we are not sure of the meaning of the symbols or letters, there are clearly three concentric circles on each side of the bezel. These circles flank what appears to be a large letter "K" - shared both from a Greek derivative in the Eastern Roman Empire and a Latin derivative in the Western Roman Empire. To the right of the "K" is what appears to be a military standard or labarum. Of course it is difficult to be entirely certain of the meaning of all of these symbols, or even absolutely certain they are what they appear to be. But the letter "K" certainly could be someone's initial for their name (although in the Eastern Roman Empire it came also to mean "20" on later Byzantine coinage).

The symbolism of the "eye" shaped bezel and the concentric circles found on items of personal adornment arose in very ancient times:much more ancient even than the Romans, Greeks, or Phoenicians. There was an ancient belief that some evil sorcerers or witches had the ability to transmit evil with just a glance. Items of personal adornment such as this ring were thought to protect the wearer from the "evil eye" by the proviso of an always watchful open eye. As described, upon the eye-shaped bezel, there are also symbols of an unknown nature which may also have been designed to afford protection against the evil eye.

The Labarum was a late Roman military standard ornamented with the Christian monogram (Christogram), which consisted of the Greek letters Chi and Rho, the first two letters of Christ's name [Khr]istos). Actually labarum was an adaptation of the already existing cavalry standard of the Roman army; the pagan emblems were merely replaced by Christian symbols. The first labarum was actually a vision ascribed to the great Roman Christian Emperor "Constantine the Great". According to a 340 A.D. description of the dream by the Roman Historian Eusebius, Constantine's visionary standard was "a long spear, overlaid with gold, formed the figure of the cross by means of a transverse bar laid over it. On the top of the whole was fixed a wreath of gold and precious stones; and within this the symbol of the Saviour's name, two letters indicating the name of Christ by means of its initial characters, the letter P [rho] being intersected by an X [chi] at the center." Along with the vision of this standard, Constantine in his dream heard the words, "In Hoc Vinces" (Latin for "in this conquer").

The sign became the imperial standard and led to the cult of the cross. From the cross-bar of the spear, was suspended a purple banner with the Greek inscription TOUTO NIKA -- i. e. conquer by this (sign), usually rendered in Latin "In hoc signo vinces" (in this sign thou shalt conquer). The part of the staff immediately above the embroidered banner was adorned with medallions of the emperor and his children. Fifty soldiers of the imperial guard, distinguished for bravery and piety, were entrusted with the care and defense of the sacred standard. Eventually standards similar to the original labarum were supplied to all the legionary armies, and the monogram was also engraved on the soldiers' shields. Two soldiers holding between them a labarum became an extremely popular depiction in late Roman Empire coinage - as had in previous centuries the same depiction utilizing two Roman soldiers holding a (non-Christian) military standard. For more on the subject, including depictions of a labarum on a Roman coin, please click here or here.

There are a number of clearly Celtic hallmark characteristics to the ring. One such hallmark characteristic of the bronze rings produced within the Roman Empire by Celtic artisans is the very distinctive "knob" at the back of the band. The Romans highly regarding Celtic workmanship, and articles of jewelry produced by Celtic artisans were highly prized. Celtic artisans came to be scattered throughout the empire producing jewelry for the Roman population in the various provinces. It would not be unlikely to find such an elaborately embellished rendition of an eye to be of Celtic inspiration and or workmanship, especially given the fact that this particular piece was unearthed (though not necessarily produced) in what was the Roman province of Thracia. All in all, a very elaborate theme for the time, well executed, and remarkable sharp in preserved detail.

The ring is pretty heavy of construction, and though there are unmistakable signs that it was worn during someone's lifetime, the extent of the wear was moderately light. The ring is exceptionally solid and its integrity entirely intact. The construction of the ring is not of the more ordinary archaic style. Rather than the crudely attached separate bezel, the ring possesses an integral bezel, the bezel and bands fashioned from a single piece of bronze. Inasmuch as this is the same technique used in the present day, the result is a ring which is fairly modern in appearance, though certainly very distinctive. An exquisitely engraved bezel and a simple yet handsome style together create an exceptional and beautiful artifact of the Roman Empire - and one of very solid workmanship. Other than the wear due to use in ancient times, the level of preservation of this specimen is quite exceptional. You have to look very closely to see any of 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 caused by prolonged burial in caustic soil. This ring spent almost two thousand years buried, yet by good fortune there is virtually no porosity of any significance - it happened to be in very gentle soil conditions.

Due to the bold sizing of the features, the ring has a character which is quite modern and distinctive - a classic and timeless design. The ring has a very nice patina, a medium, almost dark golden tone so characteristic of ancient bronze. The ring is quite sturdy and substantial, its integrity is undiminished by the passage of time, and it has been professionally conserved. There are no cracks, chips, or other impairments to its integrity. The Romans were of course very fond of ornate personal jewelry including bracelets worn both on the forearm and upper arm, brooches, pendants, hair pins, earrings intricate fibulae and belt buckles, and of course, rings. This is an exceptional piece of Roman jewelry, a very handsome artifact, and eminently wearable. The ring could easily be worn and enjoyed on a daily basis, an evocative authentic "souvenir" of the Roman Empire, the greatest military power, and one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. Almost two thousand years after it was originally produced, it could still bring its next owner many decades of wearing enjoyment.

HISTORY: One of the greatest civilizations of recorded history was the ancient Roman Empire. In exchange for a very modest amount of contemporary currency, you can possess a small part of that great civilization in the form of a 2,000 year old piece of jewelry. The Roman civilization, in relative terms the greatest military power in the history of the world, was founded in the 8th century (B.C.). In the 4th Century (B.C.) the Romans were the dominant power on the Italian Peninsula, having defeated the Etruscans and Celts. In the 3rd Century (B.C.) the Romans conquered Sicily, and in the following century defeated Carthage, and controlled the Greece. Throughout the remainder of the 2nd Century (B.C.) the Roman Empire continued its gradual conquest of the Hellenistic (Greek Colonial) World by conquering Syria and Macedonia; and finally came to control Egypt in the 1st Century (B.C.).

The pinnacle of Roman power was achieved in the 1st Century (A.D.) as Rome conquered much of Britain and Western Europe. For a brief time, the era of "Pax Romana", a time of peace and consolidation reigned. Civilian emperors were the rule, and the culture flourished with a great deal of liberty enjoyed by the average Roman Citizen. However within 200 years the Roman Empire was in a state of steady decay, attacked by Germans, Goths, and Persians. In the 4th Century (A.D.) the Roman Empire was split between East and West. The Great Emperor Constantine temporarily arrested the decay of the Empire, but within a hundred years after his death the Persians captured Mesopotamia, Vandals infiltrated Gaul and Spain, and the Goths even sacked Rome itself. Most historians date the end of the Western Roman Empire to 476 (A.D.) when Emperor Romulus Augustus was deposed. However the Eastern Roman Empire (The Byzantine Empire) survived until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D.

At its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from Britain in the West, throughout most of Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, and into Asia Minor. Valuables such as coins and jewelry were commonly buried for safekeeping, and inevitably these ancient citizens would succumb to one of the many perils of the ancient world. Oftentimes the survivors of these individuals did not know where the valuables had been buried, and today, two thousand years later caches of coins and rings are still commonly uncovered throughout Europe and Asia Minor. Roman Soldiers oftentimes came to possess large quantities of "booty" from their plunderous conquests, and routinely buried their treasure for safekeeping before they went into battle. If they met their end in battle, most often the whereabouts of their treasure was likewise, unknown.

Throughout history these treasures have been inadvertently discovered by farmers in their fields, uncovered by erosion, and the target of unsystematic searches by treasure seekers. With the introduction of metal detectors and other modern technologies to Eastern Europe in the past three or four decades, an amazing number of new finds are seeing the light of day 2,000 years or more after they were originally hidden by their past owners. And with the liberalization of post-Soviet Eastern Europe, new markets have opened eager to share in these treasures of the Roman Empire.

These antiquities come from a number of collections which by and large originated here in Eastern Europe. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers, principally in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. All of these artifacts are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery via U.S. Mail. Proceeds of the sales benefit the Southern Urals State Student Association for Archaeological and Anthropological Studies in Russia; providing both postgraduate and undergraduate students with meaningful part-time employment, notebook computers, and both reference and study materials. It also supports other institutions and organizations within Russia involved in the study of anthropology and archaeology. All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price.

SHIPPING: These antiquities come from a number of collections which by and large originated here in Eastern Europe. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers, principally in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. All of these artifacts are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery via U.S. Mail. All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price. A certificate of authenticity (COA) is available upon request.

Our order fulfillment center near Seattle, Washington will ship your purchase within one business day of receipt of your personal check or money order. If you wish to pay electronically, we accept both PayPal and BidPay. However we ask that you PLEASE WAIT before remitting until we have mutually agreed upon method of shipment and shipping charges and you understand our PayPal limitations and policies (stated here). We will ship within one business day of our receipt of your electronic remittance.

A certificate of authenticity (COA) is available upon request. We prefer your personal check or money order over any other form of payment - and we will ship immediately upon receipt of your check (no "holds"). Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE."