A PALEO CHRISTIAN GOLD RING WITH AN AMETHYST INTAGLIO, 4TH CENTURY AD

A large gold ring with an intaglio showing a fish swimming left with a cross springing from its head. While this intaglio has an unusual representation of the 'ICTHYS' or fish of paleo-Christian significance, this image comes from a time when Christian iconography was still in a state of flux. There is a possibility that this ring was made in later times reflecting the sentiments of the early Christian period.
23 by 26 mm.
Size: 10
Weight: 12.3 gr.
EU size 11

PROVENANCE
Ex-European private collection acquired before 1970