Medieval “Beast Heads” Silver Ring with Gold leaf.

Date: c. 12th - 13th CenturyWeight: 5.21 gramsSize: 8.5 (U.S.) / Q 1/2 (U.K.)  History of the Artifact Dated to the High Middle Ages (12th-13th Centuries) this ring’s main feature - its beast heads biting the shank of the ring - are reminiscent of the infamous gargoyles found in contemporary Gothic architecture. Flanked by the beast heads, the ring forms an apex in the form of a domed rosette. The ring is silver but shows evident signs of gold leafing across all surfaces, which has dimmed over the course of centuries.  In medieval art and jewelry, gargoyles and beast motifs often symbolized protection, power, and the tension between good and evil. These fantastical creatures, frequently grotesque or hybrid in form, served both decorative and apotropaic functions—warding off evil spirits and guarding sacred spaces or precious objects. Their presence reflected the medieval imagination, rich with allegory and moral symbolism, and revealed a worldview deeply shaped by spiritual anxieties,