BYZANTINE HIGH KARAT GOLD RING WITH NIELLO DEPICTING VIRGIN MARY Ca. AD 600. A gold ring with a circular bezel inlaid with niello, depicting the Virgin Mary in bust form, shown frontally with hands raised. Her head is framed by a halo, and flanked by the Greek inscription ΜΡ ΘΥ (abbreviation for Μήτηρ Θεοῦ, “Mother of God”). The bezel is joined to a plain, rounded hoop, and is flanked by two pairs of small gold spheres positioned at the shoulders. For similar see: Bagot J., El legado de Hefesto: A Memorial to a Private Collection of Ancient Rings and Glyptics, n. 595; J. Spier, Byzantium and the West, Jewelry in the first Millennium, cat. 14D2; The British Museum, Museum number AF.489. Size: D:19.76mm / US: 10 / UK: T 1/2; Weight: 6g Provenance: Private London collection; previously in a 1990s UK collection of Ancient Art. 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.