361 (22)

334

Dress Accessories

seam on lower part of hoop opposite bezel. Extemal d 25mm; internal d 21mm; d of bezel lOmm.

1631    BWB83 5849 (287) 11 fig 218 Slender hoop, round-sectioned; bezel in the form of a ąuatrefoil. Extemal d 17mm; internal d 14mm.

Cast in one piece

geometrically shaped bezels

1632 BIG82 3037 (5277) 7 fig 218 Slender hoop, triangular in section, upper part deco-rated on the outside with transverse grooves; lozenge-shaped bezel with cross-hatching. Extemal d 15mm; internal d 13mm; 1 of bezel 6.5mm.

1633 SWA81 522 (2040) 9 fig 218

Similar to preceding ring; extemal d 14m; internal d 12mm; 1 of bezel 7mm.

1634    BWB83    3678    (308)    11    fig 218

Slender hoop, triangular in section, upper part deco-rated on the outside with horizontal chevrons; rectangular bezel with three transverse bars. Extemal d 18mm; internal d 16mm; 1 of bezel, 8mm.

1635    BWB83    4912    (309)    12    fig 218

Incomplete; slender hoop, flat-sectioned; lozenge-shaped bezel and projecting bezel decorated with cross-hatching on opposing lower part of hoop.

false-stone settings

1636    BWB83    4540    (285)    9    fig 218

Slender hoop, upper part decorated on the outside with transverse grooves and beading and the lower part with saltires; circular bezel set with a false cabochon. Extemal d c.20mm; internal d 17mm; d of bezel 5mm.

1637    SWA81    457    (2018)    11    fig 218

Slender hoop decorated on the outside with transverse grooves; circular bezel with beaded edge set with a tiny false cabochon. Extemal d 16mm; internal 14mm; d of bezel 6mm.

1638    SWA81    624    (2051)    11    fig 218

Slender hoop, upper part decorated on the outside with lozenges infilled with cross-hatching; circular bezel with four false Stones at the comers of the shoulders. Extemal d 19mm; internal d 17mm; d of bezel 5mm.

1639    BWB83    5243    (306)    11

Slender hoop, upper part decorated on the outside with a cable pattem; oval bezel with cabled edging surround-ing a central hole. Extemal d 18mm; internal d 16mm; d of bezel 7mm.

1640    BWB83 5093 (unstratified) fig 218 Slender hoop, triangular in section decorated on the outside with transverse grooves; rectangular bezel with cross-hatched decoration and a false stone in each comer. Extemal d 16mm; internal d 14mm; 1 of bezel 8mm.

face masks

1641    BWB83    1248    (110)    11    fig 218

Incomplete; slender hoop, flat-sectioned, decorated on the outside with cross-hatching; bezel in the form of a face-mask.

1642    BWB83    5810    (310)    12    fig 218

Slender hoop, flat-sectioned, decorated on the outside with a chevron pattem; bezel in the form of a mitred head. External d 15mm; internal d 13mm.

1643    BWB83    5850    (313)    12    fig 218

Slender hoop, triangular in section, decorated on the outside with horizontal chevrons which reverse in each ąuadrant; bezel in the form of a crowned head. Exter-nal d c.l4mm; internal d 12mm.

The tradition of wearing finger rings madę from lead alloy went back in London to the lOth century, when the metal was increasingly used to simulate silver. That many pieces were madę locally can be inferred from the unfinished stock of finger rings, disc brooches and beads in the Cheapside hoard, which was hidden sometime during the llth century (VCH 1909, 160).

By the early 13th century a new form of lead-alloy finger ring had emerged which has a bezel as well as a hoop. The earliest dates to c.1200 to 1230 (ceramic phase 7) (no. 1632), but the majority were found in deposits of the late 14th and early 15th centuries (ceramic phases 11 and 12). Ali were analysed for their metal content by XRF, which indicates that they were madę from pewter and not tin.

Such rings were usually cast in three-piece moulds and no attempt was madę to remove the remains of the casting seams, which are apparent on transversely opposite sides of each hoop. Two differ in having a separate hoop and bezel, which were reąuired to be soldered together (nos. 1630 & 1631, fig 218). Both of these latter rings have plain hoops and only the former bears traces of its casting seam, which is on the lower edge of the hoop in contrast to those madę in one piece. A similar two-piece finger ring with a bezel styled in