179 - Set of two silver rings. Medieval period, 7th–12th centuries.

Set of two silver rings. Medieval period, 7th–12th centuries. Silver with an oxidation patina. Provenance: Family bequest from Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection assembled beginning in the 1950s by successive generations of the family through purchases at European galleries and auction houses. Measurements: 1.9 cm in diameter. Set of two medieval silver rings, of different types and decoration. The first features a wide band with a slightly convex surface, decorated on the front with incised schematic motifs whose arrangement suggests epigraphic signs or characters. The second, with a thin band and rounded cross-section, features a small central element decorated with geometric motifs in relief, flanked by two circular appliqués. Silver rings were used during the Middle Ages both as personal adornments and, in certain cases, as supports for inscriptions or symbols of a religious, protective, or identifying nature. The variety of forms and decorative techniques in these examples reflects the diversity of medieval goldsmithing traditions.