Christian Marriage Ring

Name/Title

Christian Marriage Ring

Entry/Object ID

2006.6.5

Description

18th-c. Greek Christian marriage ring made of gold electroplate over silver with beaded border.

Made/Created

Time Period

18th Century

Interpretative Labels

Label

An image of the Tyche of Constantinople (the female personification of luck in ancient Greek city cults) is engraved upon the bezel (face of the ring). The seated image of the Tyche is similar enough in style to images of the seated Virgin Mary that the two images may have been conflated in the arts of this region. An inscription in Greek around the band appeals for help for the owner/s, whose monogram/s are undecipherable. Typical for such rings would be something like "Lord help George and Mary..." in petition for divine blessing on their marriage, or perhaps the couple's hope of successful childbearing.