Late 5th century AD. A solid gold and niello marriage ring, with a plain hoop, semi-circular in section with flattened sides, expanding to triangular shoulders, with a two-step pyramidal bezel topped with a truncated inverted cone engraved on the circular face with a guinea-fowl in profile to the right, a lizard to its right, a crescent and star above, enclosed within a wreath, volute above a palmette on the shoulders, a key pattern and zig-zag on the sides of pyramidal steps; and a inscription on either side reading ???????? and MAPIAC (of Evtichios and Maria) added later. See Spier, J., 'Some Unconventional early Byzantine Rings' in Entwistle, C. & Adams, N., Intelligible Beauty, Recent Research into Byzantine Jewellery, London, 2010, pl.5a-b, for a similar gold ring with niello inlays; Christie’s, New York, Antiquities, 18 December 1998, lot 160. 16.21 grams, 28.92mm overall, 18.21mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q, USA 8, Europe 17.49, Japan 16) (1 1/4"). From a Christian artefact collection formed by a collector in Surrey, UK. Several distinctive varieties of rings originated in Constantinople in the late 5th century and served as prototypes for Western copies. The Byzantine origin of one such group has become clear recently thanks to the appearance of several previously unpublished examples. The rings have broad hoops, usually curved slightly inward, with flattened, triangular shoulders decorated with niello inlay and sometimes monograms. The bezels are stepped, with the top either engraved or set with a stone. This fine example has a bird engraved on the bezel, niello-inlaid floral motifs and spirals on the shoulders, inlaid patterns of steps and waves on the sides of the bezel and hoop, and two engraved names (of spouses").