File:FINGER RING (FindID 863347).jpg

Gold mourning ring dated to the post-medieval period 1720-1760AD. The finger ring is formed from a band which is broadly circular in plan with a 'D' shaped cross section. The outer side is decorated with raised foliate designs and one large four petalled flower. There is a skull to one side marked by the triangular nose pit. The inner side is inscribed: Inscription *DIM SPIRO SPERO* which means 'WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE' and is a modern paraphrase in Latin of ideas that survive in two ancient writers, Theocritus and Ciciero and is a motto of various places and families. The diameter is 22mm and the weight 3.17g. The ring has been dated by Kieran McCarthy of Wartski London to between 1720 and 1760 and therefore falls outside the provisions of the Treasure Act.

In the late 17th and 18th century people would often leave money in their wills to purchase mourning or memorial rings for family and close friends and this is almost ceratainly an example of such a ring. Similar examples on this database include: PAS-8E0946 and WMID-A20C57 and AF.1547 in the British Museum collections. As the ring is commemorative, it post-dates the date of death, but is likely to have been engraved within a short period.