The Portable Antiquities Scheme, Stuart Noon, 2011-06-06 15:54:55
Title
Medieval copper alloy rosary decade ring.
Description
English: This is a copper alloy finger-ring often called a decade ring or rosary ring, probably dating from the 16th or 17th century AD. The bezel of the ring is engraved with the letters IHS ( a Greek abbreviation for Jesus), a cross and three arrow shapes which represent the three nails in Jesus's hands and feet.The ring is decorated wth ten other knobs.
The decade ring takes its name from the fact that it has ten knobs to help in counting prayers, similar to (but more discreet than) a rosary. Rosaries were forbidden in England and Wales by a statute of 1571, but the act does not mention decade rings. They continued to be made until at least the 18th century for use by Roman Catholics. A similar ring with IHS, a cross and an arrow engraved on the bezel is on the PAS database at DUR-1B73E3 The diameter is 25mm, width 12mm and the weight is 10g.
Depicted place
(County of findspot) Lancashire
Date
between 1500 and 1800
date QS:P571,+1500-00-00T00:00:00Z/6,P1319,+1500-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1326,+1800-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Accession number
FindID: 446034 Old ref: LANCUM-CE9AE3 Filename: LANCUM-CE9AE3.jpg
Credit line
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a voluntary programme run by the United Kingdom government to record the increasing numbers of small finds of archaeological interest found by members of the public. The scheme started in 1997 and now covers most of England and Wales. Finds are published at https://finds.org.uk
Attribution: The Portable Antiquities Scheme/ The Trustees of the British Museum
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