Rings
“So they came; both men and women; all who were a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet ring and armlets, all sorts of gold objects...” Exodus 35:22, p.78.

“Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand.”               Genesis 41:42; p.38.
“And you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the King and sealed with the King’s ring cannot be revoked...” Esther, 8:8, p.427.

The above quotes prove that rings may have had different uses and functionality. Analyzing burial sites, scientists deduced that rings were worn on the left hand, on the index and middle fingers, and were mostly found in graves of females.  Men wore signet rings on their right hands, and rings with protective disks – on their left (see Akishev, Kurgan-Issyk, Moscow, 1978, p. 27).

Therefore, rings can be classified as men’s and women’s. Wearing rings could also indicate gender and age of the wearer: for instance, a ring could be a bride’s first gift, either from the groom, or his relatives, or perhaps from the mother of the bride. A wedding ring served as a symbol, a promise of love and fidelity. This tradition may have originated in the Roman period, when Romans placed a metal ring on their chosen ones’ fingers; later, rings would be made out of gold. A custom among certain nomadic tribes required the man to tie his beloved’s ankles with aromatic straw; later the ties were made out of leather, and then stone.

The museum’s collection contains thirteen rings. Some of them are outside of the given catalog, since signets and rings with inscriptions belong to a separate area of research. More importantly, part of this collection has already been published (Raphael Giveon. Egyptian finger rings and seals from south of Gaza. Journal of the Tel-Aviv University. Institute of Archeology. vol. 4 # 1-2, 1977).  

The rings that are discussed in this article carry zoomorphic and anthropomorphic images; some are grouped into action scenes, for instance, “Hercules Fighting a Lion”. 


According to O. Dalton (who in the past served as curator and researcher of the widely known Oxus collection of the British Museum – see The Treasure of Oxus, London, 1964), shields made the early historic periods frequently had depictions of animals such as bull or gryphon. In our case, it is the scene in which Hercules fights a lion. Bronze rings of Ein-Samia (as attributed to the VI century BC) have images of bull and gazelle. Another one, from the I century AD, depicts an eagle.

One can see that hand jewelry of the Hecht collection follow several styles, namely, Egyptian, early Oriental, Hellenistic-Roman and local.

A seal ring for example with an image of a bull and a gazelle. These may be symbols of a family – a bull protecting a frail gazelle. The bull could be a symbol of fertility. Gazelle is a symbol of speed; in India, the animal was associated with air and wind. In the Semitic culture, gazelle was associated with attractiveness, especially for the beauty of its eyes.

Some ring resembles items from the Roman period; however, it carries an obvious oriental influence. Rings of this type became very popular in early medieval ages and later in Central Asia. Cornelian was widely used in Oriental jewelry, and the image of a bird depicted on the stone is similar to some examples of Achaemenian art. Elements of Achaemenian art, particularly, its iconography, have influenced artistic development of several young Oriental empires, such as the Parthian Empire, Bactria and later the Sassanid Empire.

Cornelian was linked to Mercury and Venus, was supposed to protect vision and bring happiness to a household. There are two different types of cornelian, male and female: the former has dark-brown color, the latter is transparent, pinkish-orange. Images of a bird on the surface of the stone may symbolize fertility, happiness and prosperity. Birds were known as symbols of celestial wisdom, fire and sun. The bird’s pose, as well as its location on the stone prove this theory and identify the ring as an item of men’s jewelry. It was probably worn on the little finger because of its small size.

“Hercules fighting a Lion.” Hercules, one of the gods and heroes of Roman mythology, was honored as a war hero, a victor, and god of personal gain. Merchants and warriors offered him one tenth of their income and spoils, which was spent on food for the crowds. Women were not permitted to participate in the cult of Hercules. Therefore, we can assume that the owner of this ring was a man, a military commander or a merchant. For soldiers, Hercules was a god of victory who won battles with monsters (monsters symbolized vices). Images of Hercules are frequently found on coins made by Antonines, Severs and rulers of the Gallic Empire.

Most of rings served as seals. They consist of a hoop made out of metal wires, to which a stone-seal, glass, or a protective shield is attached.

Seal rings were cast from a whole piece of metal, then an insert was made; sometimes an inscription was made on the shield.

Men’s rings can identified by their weight and shape, as well as by images of Heracles, eagle, or bull. The images changed over the years, reflecting cultural, historic, and political movements in the society.