A ROMAN GOLD SNAKE RING, CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.

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Lot Closed

July 9, 12:06 PM GMT

Estimate

3,000 - 5,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Property from a Swiss Private Collection

A ROMAN GOLD SNAKE RING, CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.

Ring size 8 1/2 ; width 2.2 cm.; height 2.2 cm.

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Carl Leonhardt Burkhardt (b. 1902, Basel, d. 1965, Alexandria)

thence by descent

Gold jewelry in the form of terminating snake heads and tails was popular throughout antiquity, and gained particular popularity during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods of ancient Egypt. Like many examples of jewelry from antiquity, bracelets, rings and hair-rings with serpentine imagery served the dual purpose of both being ornamental and amuletic, meaning the snake was invoked to protect the wearer from harm. For a bracelet at the Getty Museum of similar form to this ring, see: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/29605/unknown-maker-snake-bracelet-romano-egyptian-1st-century-ad/?dz=0.3624,0.3707,1.87