Saxon & Medieval — Late Medieval; mid 15th century
Finger ring, posy ring
This gold 'posy' ring (that is, one with an inscription), set with a spinel (the stone), has a love message inscribed around the outside. It says 'pour amor, say douc', meaning 'for love, so sweet'. The inscription is in French, the language of courtly love in medieval times. It seems to have been quite common for those who could afford it to give posy rings as symbols of love - the medieval poet Chaucer mentions, in his 'Legend of Good Women', the sending of letters, brooches and rings to a woman. This ring was found on the Thames foreshore at Bankside.
- Category:
- Saxon & Medieval
- Object ID:
- 80.33
- Object name:
- finger ring, posy ring
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
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- Related events:
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- Related places:
- Production date:
- Late Medieval; mid 15th century
- Material:
- gold, enamel, spinel
- Measurements/duration:
- DM (ext) 20 mm, DM (int) 17 mm, T (hoop) 6 mm, WT 6 g
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Credit:
- —
- Copyright holder:
- digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.
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Credit: London Museum
To licence this image for commercial use please contact the London Museum Picture Library
