Ring of Æthelwulf, Anglo-Saxon, AD 828-858
Gold nielloed mitre-shaped ring, decorated with peacocks, crosses, rosettes, foliage and a tree. Found in a cart rut in Laverstock, Wiltshire, England.
Æthelwulf was the King of Wessex (r. AD 836-858) and was the father of Alfred the Great. The ring, a particularly ambitious piece, was not the king’s personal ring, but was presumably given as a gift or as a mark of royal office. Its fine Trewhiddle-style ornament would certainly fit a mid ninth-century date.
oh, this is nice. it’s a thumb ring, used in archery. In some cultures, they drew the bow with their thumb, and to prevent the bow string from pinching/damaging the skin, they would wear special rings. The fat side of this would be worn on the pad of the thumb when drawing the bow. When not engaging in archery, it would be twisted around so the point rested on the knuckle.
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