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Crusader Silver Ring Jerusalem Holy Land Find Antiquity Artifact Size 9 Authentic
Authentic ancient artifact, guaranteed genuine and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Registered Jerusalem / Holy Land find.
Culture: Crusader States (Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem)
Date: Circa 11th–13th Century AD
Material: Silver (High Grade) with dark gemstone/paste inlay
Type: Stirrup-style Signet Ring / Knightly Finger Ring
Size: 9 (US)
Description
This is a rare and evocative silver ring from the Crusader period, recovered from a recorded site in Jerusalem. The ring features a distinct "stirrup" or "triangular" shoulder profile, a diagnostic form popular among the Frankish knights and settlers of the Latin East.
The bezel is large and rectangular, housing a dark, recessed inlay (possibly a garnet or high-density glass paste) that has aged with a deep, earthy patina. In the Crusader States, silver rings were signs of status and authority, often used as personal signets to seal correspondence or identify the wearer within a specific military order or noble house.
The silver exhibits a characteristic "horn silver" oxidation and mineralization common to artifacts buried in the lime-rich soil of Jerusalem for nearly 800 years. This ring serves as a direct link to the turbulent and fascinating era of the Crusades in the Holy City.
Authentication
The ring displays authentic multi-layered mineralization. The silver shows "brittle" crystalline structures at the stress points, consistent with long-term burial and the natural leaching of copper alloys. The setting remains tight, with sediment bonding the inlay to the silver frame. No modern soldering, mechanical polishing, or artificial chemical patinas are present.
Comparable Examples
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem: Crusader jewelry and personal effects collection.
The British Museum: Registration Number 1914,1019.5 (Medieval Stirrup rings from the Levant).
The Louvre, Paris: Decorative arts of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
References
Hind, J., Crusader Art in the Holy Land: From the Third Crusade to the Fall of Acre.
Dalton, O.M., Catalogue of the Finger Rings in the British Museum.
Pringle, D., The City of Jerusalem in the Crusader Period.
Condition
Fine archaeological condition. The silver shank is intact and wearable (with care), retaining its original stirrup shape. The dark inlay is stable. The heavy patina provides a beautiful, "found" aesthetic that is highly prized by collectors of medieval and Biblical-era antiquities.
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