Harvard Art Museums > 2012.1.28: Finger Ring with Snake Terminal Jewelry Collections Search Exit Deep Zoom Mode Zoom Out Zoom In Reset Zoom Full Screen Add to Collection Order Image Copy Link Copy Citation Citation"Finger Ring with Snake Terminal , 2012.1.28,” Harvard Art Museums collections online, May 06, 2024, https://hvrd.art/o/178374. Reuse via IIIF Toggle Deep Zoom Mode Download This object does not yet have a description. Identification and Creation Object Number 2012.1.28 Title Finger Ring with Snake Terminal Classification Jewelry Work Type ring Date 1st Century BCE-3rd Century CE Places Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World Period Roman period Culture Roman Persistent Link https://hvrd.art/o/178374 Location Location Level 3, Room 3620, University Study Gallery View this object's location on our interactive map Physical Descriptions Medium Copper alloy Technique Cast, lost-wax process Dimensions 2.3 x 1.7 cm (7/8 x 11/16 in.) Technical Details Technical Observations: The patina is green and has a relatively rough texture. Corrosion has left the surface rough and difficult to read. The ring was probably cast from a directly formed wax model. The coiled shape may have been created by working after casting. The lines along the snake’s back were hammered using an elongated point. The snake’s face appears to have been cast and does not seem to have been cold worked. Henry Lie (submitted 2012) Provenance Recorded Ownership History The Alice Corinne McDaniel Collection, Department of the Classics, Harvard University (before 1970-2012), transfer; to the Harvard Art Museums, 2012. Acquisition and Rights Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Transfer from the Alice Corinne McDaniel Collection, Department of the Classics, Harvard University Accession Year 2012 Object Number 2012.1.28 Division Asian and Mediterranean Art Contact am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu Permissions The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request. Descriptions Published Catalogue Text: Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Bronzes at the Harvard Art Museums This finger ring is formed by three coils of a snake and its head (1). The scales on the body of the snake are indicated by a pattern incised on the exterior and sides. The head of the snake points out, with the eyes, nose, and mouth indicated. There is also a slight raised ridge between the eyes. The body of the snake tapers toward the tail. There is a discolored band where the neck and body join. NOTES: 1. For a discussion of the typology of snake rings and bracelets, see C. Johns, The Jewellery of Roman Britain (London, 1996) 44-47. See ibid., 37-38, on the early history of snake ornamentation. Lisa M. Anderson Publication History John Crawford, Sidney Goldstein, George M. A. Hanfmann, John Kroll, Judith Lerner, Miranda Marvin, Charlotte Moore, and Duane Roller, Objects of Ancient Daily Life. A Catalogue of the Alice Corinne McDaniel Collection Belonging to the Department of the Classics, Harvard University, ed. Jane Waldbaum, Department of the Classics (unpublished manuscript, 1970), M37, p. 166 [J. S. Crawford] Exhibition History 32Q: 3620 University Study Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 01/20/2024 - 05/05/2024 Subjects and Contexts Ancient Bronzes Verification Level This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
