Memento mori ring; mourning ring

A gold memorial ring with a thick, D-shaped hoop. The lozenge shaped bezel bears a champleve white enamelled skull (now badly degraded) with 'C' above and 'N' below. Surrounding the black enamel lozenge border is a black inscription in Roman capitals: MEMEN[TO] MORI ['Remember you must die']. The edge of the bezel is embellished with engraved 'ropework'. There are no marks.This seventeenth century ring was evidently made to commemorate someone with the initials 'CN'. Rings of this type often included the date of death and, where appropriate, a coat of arms or personal signet. They were usually bequeathed in wills or distributed to friends and family at a funeral. Although many memorial rings were worn on the finger, some hung around the neck or from ribbons at the wrist and arm. A number of rings of similar type have survived; several with swivel bezels, bearing either the deceased's coat of arms or a merchant's mark which could be used in the manner of a signet.