PAS Finds – week ended 22 October 2021
PAS Finds – week ended 22 October 2021
A round-up of some of the finds recorded at the PAS for the week ended 29 October. There were 370 finds recorded in this week including three items of Treasure.
Featured Find
17th Century Posy Ring
Photo: Bristol City Council CC BY SA2.0
Object type: Ring
Period: Post Medieval
Primary material: Gold
Date found: 05/10/2021
Location: South Gloucestershire
A 17th century gold posy ring, inlaid with enamel. It is inscribed with “constancie is a noble vertue” and a maker’s mark “R”. The PAS record says that the spelling variations ‘constancie’ and ‘vertue’, likely date the ring to the mid-17th century. As this ring predates 1721 and as it contains a minimum of 10% precious metal, it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.
Selection of other finds
Photo: Bristol City Council CC BY SA2.0
Medieval ring
A silver finger ring dating to 1100 – 1200. There are a few rings on PAS with a similar design. It is going through the Treasure process.
Photo: Oxfordshire County Council CC By SA2.0
Pipe tamper
An incomplete copper-alloy pipe tamper dating to 1600-1800. On the base there are the initials in low-relief ‘HT’. The base would be used for tamping down the tobacco in the bowl of a pipe and crushing the ash together to aid relighting. The pick at the other end would be used to clear debris from the bowl.
Photo: Derby Museums Trust CC By SA2.0
Three groschen of Sigismund III
 A three groschen of Sigismund III (AD 1587 – 1632), dated AD 1622. Obverse: Crowned ruffed bust of Sigismund III with the legend SIG III D G REX POL M D L, giving Sigismund’s titles as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Reverse: : Eagle, Polish coat of arms and man on horseback with GROSARGE/TRIP.REGN/POLONI, meaning “Three silver groschen of the Polish Kingdom“
Photo: Surrey County Council CC BY SA2.0
Anglo-Saxon ring
A gold finger ring made from two pieces of round-sectioned gold wire, which have been tightly twisted together. This method of manufacture is similar to other examples on the PAS dating from the late 9th Century until c.1100. It is going through the Treasure process.