BYZANTINE HIGH KARAT GOLD AND NIELLO RING WITH VIRGIN MARY AND CHILD. Ca. AD 500 - 700 A 22.5kt gold ring with a flat-section hoop thickening at the shoulders into three rounded mouldings and expanding to a circular bezel inlaid with niello depicting the Virgin Mary and the Child. Size: D:17.53mm / US: 7 1/4 / UK: O; Weight: 7.78g. Provenance: Private London collection; previously part of an early 2000s UK ancient art collection; formerly in the collection of G.M., prior to 1996. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.