I would like to recommend this very recently published book by a collector friend. It is an important contribution to a really neglected area of interest: the  commonplace, mostly base metal fingerrings of ordinary people in the lower eschelons of ancient societies. Academia has documented the more elite fingerrings made in gold and silver and this book along with his previous  book  Ancient Rings: An Illustrated Collector's Guide https://www.collector-antiquities.com/shop/gallery.html?vitem=4204&pcat=86 rescues the more commonplace rings from historical obscurity.

This new study assists in identifying the types, origins and routes of transmission of personal artwork, particularly finger rings, across Europe and Byzantium, an area of study that has been neglected in previous works. Some of this material represents the first time relevant research from Central and Eastern Europe has been translated and made available to the English-speaking world.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments v

Preface 1

Introduction 3

Part I: Late Antiquity and the Migration Period 7

The Dark Ages  7

Hannibal ad Portas: the Barbarian Onslaught  9

Part II: The Diffusion of Jewelry Designs Since Late Antiquity 17

Part III: Difficulties in Dating and Identification 21

Part IV: Medieval Societies of Western Europe 24

Frankish and Germanic Kingdoms  24

Frankish Tribes  25

Germanic Tribes  26

Frankish and Germanic Ring Types  28

Scandinavian and ­Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms  33

Part V: Influences from Asiatic Cultures 43

Trade Routes Between Europe and Asia  43

Ancient Cultures of the Eurasian Steppe  45

Asiatic Origin of Certain Zoomorphic Motifs  52

“Saltovo” and Related Types from the Steppe  61

Kievan Rus and Kipchak Khanate  64

Part VI: The Roads Less Traveled: Central and Eastern Europe 68

Medieval and Modern States  72

The Successor States of the Former Yugoslavia  79

Notable Medieval Cultures  83

Part VII: Common Ring Types from Central and Eastern Europe 89

Religious Rings  91

Magical/Apotropaic and Geometrical Symbols  97

Ring and Dot Patterns  99

Heraldic and Pseudo-Heraldic Rings  101

Heater Shield, Flame and Heart-Shaped Designs  102

Fleur-de-lis  103

Portcullis and Similar Cross-Hatched Patterns  104

Star and Crescent  106

Sword and Arm  107

Avian and Zoomorphic Motifs  109

Architectural, Crowns and Similar Designs  111

Monograms, Merchant’s Marks and Personal Seals  112

Quatrefoil, Rosette and Similar Decorative Motifs  114

Plain Hoop and Twisted Wire Designs  117

Cast Types with Faux Gemstones  119

Part VIII: Anthropomorphic Rings from Central and Eastern Europe 121

Part IX: Slavic Stolovat and Similar Jewelry Types 139

Part X: Common Signet Ring Configurations 145

Part XI: Star and Floral Patterns 150

Glossary 155

Chapter Notes 171

Bibliography 177

Index 181

T.N. Pollio is a researcher and historian who lives in East Haven, Connecticut.

Hard copies available all major booksellers and Amazon

Or directly from the publisher, McFarland Books