File:Finger ring of unknown date (FindID 734930).jpg

English: A silver finger ring of uncertain date (c. AD 600 - 1900). The finger ring is formed of a single piece of silver wire joined at the shoulder on one side by soldering. The silver wire has a circular cross-section. The ring exhibits a simple slip-knot with a slightly flattened upper surface as the bezel.

The finger ring measures 18.84mm in diameter (16.52mm internal diameter), is 1.14mm thick and weighs 0.75g.

Silver wire rings can be difficult to date and may date from the early medieval to modern. This example bears similarities to LANCUM-972281 (2004T255) rings 2 & 3 from the Cumwhitton burial (grave 24) and PAS-AE4050 (2005T385), both fo which are dated to c. AD 850 - 1000.

Simple knotted wire rings of this type are frequently found strung onto Viking bracelets dating to the late 9th and 10th centuries, e.g. from Gotland, Sweden (M. Stenberger, 1958, Die Schatzfunde Gotlands der Wikingerzeit, Stockholm, pls. 176, 4; 181, 5; 186, 11-12). Ten such rings were suspended on a bracelet from Vålse, Denmark and a ring of narrow strip rather than wire is on another from the great hoard of Viking silver found at Cuerdale, Lancashire, which was deposited around AD 905 (E. Hawkins, 1847, 'An account of coins and treasure found in Cuerdale', Archaeological Journal, vol. 4, pp. 111 - 130, fig. 54). Finger rings of a similar knotted design, but of either round section or strip, have been commonly found in Viking graves and hoards of the later 9th and earlier 10th centuries (Graham-Campbell 1980). An example was found at Coppergate, York, dating to between circa 930 - circa 1050 (Mainman, p2585, fig. 1279, no. 10517).

However, simple knotted rings of this type can also be dated to the 19^th and 20^th centuries, although these are ususally constructed from silver wire with a rectangular cross-section. LON-4D0398 (2012T576) was declared as falling outside the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 due to the fact that it could not be securely dated as being over 300 years old.

After examination by Dr Barry Ager this example has similrly been declared as undiagnostic in nature and cannot be securely dated to before 1715. It therefore falls outside the provisions of the Treasure Act 1996.