Post-Medieval — 17th century

Posy ring; Hoop ring

A gold posy ring with a D-sectioned hoop, decorated with vitruvian scrolls and inscribed internally in Roman capitals 'BE HOWLD THY END'. There are no marks. Jewels incorporating memorial devices and inscriptions were popularly used to remind the wearer of the fragility of human existence, the ultimate vanity of wealth and the transcience of life on earth. Skulls, coffins, skeletons and other symbols of mortality were often combined with memento mori inscriptions such as DYE TO LYVE or BEHOWLDE THY END to encourage the wearer to place their trust and hope in God and 'future life with Christ'. Death's head rings seem to have been particularly fashionable in England.

Category:
Post-Medieval
Object ID:
62.120/112
Object name:
Posy ring; Hoop ring
Object type:

ring, finger ring, mourning ring, posy ring

Artist/Maker:
—
Related people:

Related events:

Related places:

London

Production date:
17th century
Material:

gold

Measurements/duration:
DM 20 mm, T 3 mm, WT 1.7 g (overall)
Part of:
—
On display:
—
Record quality:
60%
Part of this object:
—
Owner Status & Credit:

Permanent collection

Copyright holder:

digital image © London Museum

Image credit:
—
Creative commons usage:
CC BY-NC 4.0
License this image:

To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.

Tags

Post-Medieval Tudor Elizabethan Jacobean Stuart Medieval Hanoverian Fashion & Style Art & Design Architecture & Home