Medieval Galloping Horse Silver Ring

Date: c. 15th - 16th CenturyWeight: 3.64 gramsSize: 8.25 (U.S.) / Q  (U.K.)  History of the Artifact Dated to the late Medieval period (15th–16th centuries A.D.), this silver signet ring features an octagonal bezel delicately incised with a prancing horse encircled by foliate tendrils, all framed within a finely executed border. The octagonal form of the bezel resonates with the geometric configurations of medieval architectural forms. The equine figure—captured in motion with a sense of controlled vitality—evokes chivalric ideals of nobility, strength, and loyalty that were central to late medieval aristocratic culture. In medieval visual culture, such motifs were rarely decorative alone; the horse, a frequent symbol of both martial prowess and divine guidance, may have served as a protective emblem, linking the wearer to a broader cosmology of power, order, and spiritual safeguarding. Though the ring’s silver surface now bears the quiet patina of age, it retains the resonance of its