Late Medieval iconographic ring, circa 15th century.

Late Medieval iconographic ring. A yellow gold ring featuring a central rectangular bezel, finely engraved with ‘ihc’ within a lozenge shaped panel, the corners decorated with matching floral motifs and leaves, leading to trumpeting shoulders, each featuring straight lines representing the sun’s rays, flowing through to twisted panels to each side of the bezel engraved with ‘en/bo/en/an’ (a good year) between foliage decoration which terminates in a solid twisted shank. Tested yellow gold, approximately 3.15 grams in weight, circa 15th century.

The Christogram ‘IHC’ is an abbreviation of the name Jesus, being the first letters of the name Jesus in Greek alphabet (iota-eta-sigma).

Iconographic rings often feature images of saints with inscriptions relating to new year or a good friend, and appear to have been souvenirs of pilgrimages.