Casgliadau Arlein

Decorative gold ring with a projecting oval bezel of lunate form, set with a small uncut (en cabochon) turquoise. There is a small transverse gold ledge on each side of the bezel at the junction with the hoop, decorated with parallel engraved lines (‘combed’ fashion). The shoulders are also cast with two small zoomorphic heads, snouts pointing towards the bezel. Each head, seen from above, has pointed ears, almond-shapes eyes and a short snout. The raised bezel measures 5.4 x 7mm, and the thickness including stone is 3.4mm. The hoop has an internal diameter of 18mm, and external diameter of 19.6mm. The hoop cross-section varies, but has a flattened oval cross-section (flatter on the inside); it tapers slightly from the bezel to a width of 1.1mm to 0.95mm. Weight 1.56g.