Museum Explorer
Dress and ornament in Ancient Greece
Diameter: 2.100 cm (figure-of-eight shield ring)
Weight: 152.000 g
GR 1892.5-20.3-6, 11 (Rings 690-3, 888)
Gold ring
From: Aigina, Aegean Sea
Date: about 1850-1550 BC
This beautiful gold ring is shaped like a reef knot. It is part of an amazing hoard of bronze age jewellery found on the island of Aigina. However, who exactly made the Aigina treasure, and who it belonged to, remain a mystery.
There are five rings in the hoard and four of them are inlaid with bright blue lapis lazuli. This is a rare and precious stone which comes from Afghanistan - it would have had a long journey to reach Crete. Two of the other lapis lazuli rings are pictured below.
