117 - Celtiberian bronze ring. 4th–2nd centuries B.C.

Celtiberian bronze ring. 4th–2nd centuries B.C. Cast bronze with relief decoration. The ring has a slightly convex cross-section, with raised sections on the shoulders and a central motif interpreted as a plant design. Dark green oxidation patina. Measurements: 2 x 3 cm. Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses. Bronze ring attributed to the Celtiberian culture, featuring a robust structure and relief ornamentation, representative of the forms of personal adornment developed on the Iberian Peninsula during the Second Iron Age. It features a wide band with a slightly irregular profile, whose upper ends are embellished with small globular protrusions flanking a prominent central motif with a rounded outline and concentric relief. This element, which can be interpreted as a stylized plant motif—possibly an acorn—constitutes the piece’s primary ornamental feature. The surface retains an archaeological patina of green and dark hues, with irregularities characteristic of its state of preservation. Celtiberian goldsmithing and metalwork developed a repertoire of personal adornments that combined geometric forms, stylized plant motifs, and schematic decorative elements. Bronze rings were part of this group of objects, whose significance lies both in their ornamental function and in their value for the study of the material culture of the pre-Roman communities of the Iberian Peninsula.