My Dad passed away a couple of years ago. This weekend, we family members were sorting through remainder of his personal items, and came across an unusual ring. It's made of iron, and it was in a box with some other rings that looked as though they belonged to Dad when he was still a kid as those were pretty small-sized rings. The iron ring is a size 12. I can wear it on my thumb or first finger, and although it is a bit loose it is not so bulky as to be uncomfortable.
The ring surfaces are smooth. The "top" is a rectangle that stand up on the ring as the main feature. The rectangle has cross-hatching and the number "5" in the middle. The cross-hatching design is also on the "shoulders" of the ring below the rectangular top. The upper part of the ring, including the rectangular top, almost appear to have been carved because there are minor irregularities in shape when one area is matched to the same area on the other side of the ring. Also, the cross-hatched design is not of uniform spacing so does not appear to have been stamped on the metal, more like it was incised in some way.
Pictures attached. If this was a finger ring, I don't understand the significance of the numeral "5" on it. If it was not a finger ring, I can't figure out what it could have been. There's no wear pattern that would give any clues. It can't have been used as a stamp because the number 5 would be reversed on a stamped image made by it.
My Dad was born 1922, and his father was an amateur archaeologist ... I have wondered if this ring could be an archaeological find, but wouldn't the number 5 be pretty recent?
Any ideas?
The ring surfaces are smooth. The "top" is a rectangle that stand up on the ring as the main feature. The rectangle has cross-hatching and the number "5" in the middle. The cross-hatching design is also on the "shoulders" of the ring below the rectangular top. The upper part of the ring, including the rectangular top, almost appear to have been carved because there are minor irregularities in shape when one area is matched to the same area on the other side of the ring. Also, the cross-hatched design is not of uniform spacing so does not appear to have been stamped on the metal, more like it was incised in some way.
Pictures attached. If this was a finger ring, I don't understand the significance of the numeral "5" on it. If it was not a finger ring, I can't figure out what it could have been. There's no wear pattern that would give any clues. It can't have been used as a stamp because the number 5 would be reversed on a stamped image made by it.
My Dad was born 1922, and his father was an amateur archaeologist ... I have wondered if this ring could be an archaeological find, but wouldn't the number 5 be pretty recent?
Any ideas?
