{"product_id":"roman-silver-ring-veneria-3rd-5th-c-ce-venus-bust","title":"Roman Silver Ring - 'Veneria' (3rd–5th c. CE) EU 57 \/ US 8","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Roman silver signet ring named 'Veneria', engraved with a draped female bust, most likely Venus, goddess of love and beauty. The flat oval plate is firmly joined to a slender wire hoop, and silver wire is wound round each shoulder and probably soldered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Engraving:\u003cbr\u003eA draped female bust is cut in intaglio into the silver plate, in profile and facing left on the ring face: her hair is gathered in a rounded knot at the back of the head, and a mantle falls diagonally across her chest. She is most likely Venus: a draped bust with the hair bound in a knot is a common way Roman engravers showed the goddess, and the long, finely hatched element beside one shoulder would suit the sceptre she often holds. Juno, who also carries a sceptre, or the portrait of a Roman lady wearing the hairstyle of the empresses, are the other possible readings. To the wearer, Venus promised love and desire, a fruitful marriage and a prosperous household, and a seal cut with her image placed its owner under her protection. Pressed into wax, the intaglio printed her in relief, facing right.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDetails:\u003cbr\u003eEra: Roman\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Silver\u003cbr\u003eRing Size: EU 57 \/ US 8\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Cleaned; fine criss-cross scratches over the engraving and the wire coils; plain reverse\u003cbr\u003eProvenance: Private UK collection, prior to 2000. Private collection, United Kingdom, 2000; private collection, United Kingdom, 2020; acquired by Aurora Antiqua in 2026.\u003cbr\u003eUnique Identifier: R-584-S\u003cbr\u003eAuthenticity: Comes with certificate of authenticity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRestoration and Authenticity:\u003cbr\u003eOffered in its original, cleaned condition with no modern repairs. The piece has already been cleaned, so a restoration service is not available for it.\u003cbr\u003eA Certificate of Authenticity is included.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistorical Context:\u003cbr\u003eThe plate carried above a narrow hoop and the wire wound round the shoulders are both features of Roman ring making, comparable to Guiraud types 4 and 6. As engraved gemstones grew harder to obtain, more and more Roman signets carried the device cut straight into a metal plate, as this one does. Rings of this kind were personal seals, pressed into wax to close letters and mark property, and emblems worn every day. Venus was among the favourite subjects on Roman signet rings, where her image served as a love charm as well as a seal, and one ring with a bust cut into its metal bezel is even inscribed with her name, VENUS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs a seal it stood for its owner; as an image it kept a wish for love and beauty on the hand that wore it.\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":63679918932298,"sku":"R-584-S","price":1300.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0897\/7140\/9738\/files\/hellenistic-silver-swivel-ring-kleoris-with-engraved-draped-bust-bezel-and-coile-1.jpg?v=1790374427","url":"https:\/\/auroraantiqua.com\/products\/roman-silver-ring-veneria-3rd-5th-c-ce-venus-bust","provider":"Aurora Antiqua","version":"1.0","type":"link"}