Escrick ring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Escrick ring |
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The Escrick ring
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| Period/culture | Anglo-Saxon |
| Discovered | 2009 Escrick, North Yorkshire |
| Present location | Medieval Gallery, Yorkshire Museum, York |
| Identification | YORYM-715F42 |
The Escrick ring is a special gold finger ring. It has a big blue gemstone and red glass decorations. Experts believe it was made a very long time ago, between the 5th and 6th centuries AD.
A person using a metal detector found the ring on May 22, 2009. It was in a field near Escrick, in North Yorkshire, England. The ring was then reported to a special program that helps record old finds. Later, the Yorkshire Museum bought the ring for £35,000 so everyone could see it.
What Does the Escrick Ring Look Like?
The Escrick ring is made of gold and has a beautiful design. It features a large blue gemstone in the middle. Around this gem, there are red glass pieces set into small sections. This style of decoration is called cloisonné.
The ring's top part, where the gem is, measures about 23.1 millimeters across. The whole ring weighs 10.2 grams. The central blue gem is surrounded by four triangle-shaped sections. Where these triangles meet, there are small round sections. Some of the original glass pieces are still in place.
The square part holding the gem sits on a base with eight rounded shapes. These shapes are decorated with tiny gold balls and twisted gold wire. Where this decorated part meets the ring's band, there are three more small gold balls.
Scientists used special tests to study the metal. They found that the ring is about 90% gold. It also has a small amount of silver (8%) and copper (2%). The blue gemstone was identified as a sapphire, which is a very valuable stone.
Why Is the Escrick Ring Important?
The Escrick ring is very important because of its age and who might have owned it. In January 2013, experts from universities met in York to study the ring. They discussed its history and meaning.
At first, people thought the ring was from the 10th or 11th century. But after more study, experts now believe it is much older. They think it dates back to the 5th or 6th century. This makes it an Anglo-Saxon artifact.
The experts also believe the ring came from Europe, possibly France. They think it belonged to a very important person. It might have been owned by a king, a leader, or a royal family member. This shows how special and valuable the ring was.
Where Can You See the Escrick Ring?
The Yorkshire Museum bought the Escrick ring in 2011. They raised £35,000 to buy it with help from several groups. These groups included the Art Fund, the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Headley Trust, and the York Philosophical Society.
Since then, the ring has been on public display at the museum. It is one of the main items in an exhibition called 'Medieval York: Capital of the North'. This means you can visit the Yorkshire Museum in York to see this amazing piece of history for yourself!
