{"product_id":"roman-bronze-ring-vultinus-2nd-3rd-c-ce-profile-bust","title":"Roman Bronze Ring - 'Vultinus' (2nd–3rd c. CE) EU 47 \/ US 4","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Roman bronze signet ring named 'Vultinus', engraved with a profile bust, most likely the helmeted Minerva, goddess of wisdom, skill and good counsel. A thin back hoop swells into broad, flared shoulders that lift a raised oval bezel imitating a set stone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Engraving:\u003cbr\u003eThe bust faces left, cut into the metal in intaglio: a straight forehead and sharp nose, a domed crown with a small knob at the front and a curved row of hatched cuts, a hanging element behind the nape ending in a rounded lobe, and oblique cuts like drapery folds across the chest. It is most likely Minerva: the domed crown reads as the bowl of her helmet, the hatched cuts as its crest and the lobe as the crest falling behind the neck, as Roman gem engravers showed her. A bearded god of the Jupiter or Serapis type, or the helmeted goddess Roma, is the other possible reading. Minerva stood for wisdom, skill in the crafts and good counsel, and she protected those who fought; worn on the hand, her image asked for that judgement and protection every day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDetails:\u003cbr\u003eEra: Roman\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Bronze\u003cbr\u003eRing Size: EU 47 \/ US 4\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Dark blackish-green patina; the bezel face ground or polished bright by a previous owner, exposing bare bronze with fine abrasion marks; the engraved bust softened by wear, its recesses still dark with old patina\u003cbr\u003eProvenance: Private family collection assembled in the 1960s, later inherited by the previous owner (K.V.D., Belgium).\u003cbr\u003eUnique Identifier: R-587-B\u003cbr\u003eAuthenticity: Comes with certificate of authenticity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRestoration and Authenticity:\u003cbr\u003eThis piece shows natural aging and patina from centuries of burial and wear; the bezel face was later ground or polished by a previous owner. For those who prefer a refreshed look, a professional restoration service is available, reviving original detail while respecting historical integrity.\u003cbr\u003eIf you’d like to book a restoration, simply add the restoration option along with your order or book it as the additional product in my shop.\u003cbr\u003eA Certificate of Authenticity is included.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistorical Context:\u003cbr\u003eHeavy cast bronze rings with broad keeled shoulders and a raised oval bezel of their own metal, engraved in the manner of a gemstone, form a Roman ring family comparable to Guiraud type 3e and Henig Type VIII. Cutting the device into the bezel itself, instead of into a set stone, gave the owner a durable personal seal for letters and goods. Gods and goddesses were among the commonest subjects on Roman signets, and Minerva was a favourite, chosen more often than Jupiter himself and often shown as a bust in a crested helmet. Soldiers, townspeople and country people alike wore her image, and craftsmen favoured her above all, since she was the patron of their trades.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne small engraved bust gave its owner both a signature for wax and a daily wish for wisdom and protection.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eExplore more \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ancient-roman-rings\"\u003eRoman rings\u003c\/a\u003e from our collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Aurora Antiqua","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63679876923722,"sku":"R-587-B","price":640.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0897\/7140\/9738\/files\/roman-bronze-ring-tacitianus-three-quarter-view-showing-raised-oval-bezel-with-e-1.jpg?v=1790373969","url":"https:\/\/auroraantiqua.com\/products\/roman-bronze-ring-vultinus-2nd-3rd-c-ce-profile-bust","provider":"Aurora Antiqua","version":"1.0","type":"link"}