Post-Medieval — 17th century
Memento mori finger ring
Memento mori finger ring decorated with black enamel on gold and engraved with a full-length skeleton, cross bones and two hourglasses. The bulbs of the hourglasses are enamelled in green. There is a Latin inscription inside the band: ‘Donu Johannis Pinder’ (meaning ‘Given by John Pinder’) followed by an unidentified maker’s mark. Mourning rings like this one, black scarves and hatbands were distributed to friends and relatives at funerals as a memento of the decreased person. The quality and value of the ‘memento mori’ (‘remember you must die’) varied according to the recipients’ relationship with the deceased.
- Category:
- Post-Medieval
- Object ID:
- A18226
- Object name:
- Memento mori finger ring
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 17th century
- Material:
gold, enamel
- Measurements/duration:
- DM 22 mm, DM 22 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- 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.