Among the silver rings in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities in the British Museum are seven which have a stud or nail of gold driven through the bezel. The intaglio designs on these rings are as follows:—
(1) Two sphinxes confronted. (2) Ox-head and bird placed opposite one another on oblong bezel. (3) Recumbent lion to r. looking back over its shoulder. Cf. Furtwängler, Besehreibung der geschn. Steine im Antiq., No. 152. These three designs are archaic in style. (4) Woman seated to r., holding out dove on 1. hand. Cf. a coin of Eryx (Gardner, Types of Greek Coins, PI. VI. 3). On the ring a wreath takes the place of the standing Eros. (5) Design similar to last, but in reverse direction; no wreath.
The last two rings are of good style, but poor execution (4th—3rd cent. B.C.). (6) Very much worn; a female figure can be made out. (7) A very curious design, which I am unable to explain. A jackal's head surmounts a vaselike object. Before the head is a curved, behind, a straight handle (?).