Medieval Ring of St Luke, circa 12th Century

This incredible, rare gold ring dates from the 12th century Seljuk dynasty. The carnelian intaglio is set within a typical Seljuk tapered rectangular bezel with a four-pronged gold setting soldered to the outside of the bezel. Applied and pierced arabesque designs are placed at the bottom of each prong which also reinforce the joints. Further applied gold Seljuk ornamentation decorates the band, including two gold birds and a highly decorative vestigial sprued bottom (back-knob) from the casting. The gold mount itself is also ornately and intricately chased and nielloed with arabesque patterns. Remarkably, the niello work remains in exceptional condition, and can still be seen on the underside of the bezel which is decorated with a lattice pattern. The carnelian intaglio seal is flat cut base with bevelled sides. This shape was predominantly used in the seals from the 8th to 11th century. The seal is engraved with angular Kufic script with forked terminals which dates the seal to the 9th-12th centuries (Porter, 2011). For similar referenced examples in museums and notable collections, see final photos, in particular item 26 in ‘Islamic Rings and Gems: the Benjamin Zucker Collection’ (1987). UK size K, US size 5.25 The ring weighs 9.19 grams and is crafted in high-karat gold (21K gold). The carnelian stone measures 11mm x 8mm x 3mm. The hollow box bezel measures 16mm x 10mm and protrudes 7mm from the base. This museum-grade ring is a rare survivor, most existing examples have some damage to the ring, intaglio or niello - this is a scarce example in superb, original condition. The Seljuks, a Turkish dynasty of Central Asian nomadic origins, became the new rulers of eastern Islamic lands following the defeat of the powerful Ghaznavids at the Battle of Dandanakan (1040). Under the Seljuk sultanate, which spanned from the 11th to the 13th century, goldsmiths and jewellers created works of unparalleled beauty and sophistication. Seljuk jewellery...

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