BYZANTINE HIGH KARAT GOLD RING WITH NICOLO INTAGLIO DEPICTING SEA CREATURES Ca. AD 500 - 700. A nicolo intaglio engraved with a central turtle flanked symmetrically by two fish. Set in a high-collared gold bezel with a hexagonal outer frame, bordered on either side by pairs of granulated spheres. A solid, rounded hoop joins the bezel, completing the ring. For similar see: Spier J., Byzantium and the West, Jewelry in the First Millennium, cat. 25. Size: D:19.35mm / US: 9 1/2 / UK: S 1/2; Weight: 9.83g Provenance: Private London collection; formerly in South German private collection 1980s-early1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. Reviewed by Sami Fortune, an ancient jewellery specialist.