Home › Ring Superstitions › Ring Superstitions: Amulet
Ring Superstitions: Amulet
The following engraving from Gorlæus represents a human head with an elephant's trunk, &c., holding a trident, an amulet against the perils of the sea :- Amulet ring: Roman.
The council of ravens, prophetic birds (and attributes of Apollo), or crows, which were used as symbols of conjugal fidelity :- Amulet ring: Roman.
A silver ring on a sardonyx, engraved with the figure of a sow, as a propitiatory sacrifice :- Amulet ring: Roman.
In Lucian's 'Philopseudes,' in a dialogue called the Ship or Wish, a man is introduced who desires that Mercury should bestow a ring on him to confer perpetual health and preservation from danger.
Benvenuto Cellini, in his 'Memoirs,' mentions the discovery in Rome of certain vases, 'which appeared to be antique urns filled with ashes; amongst these were iron rings inlaid with gold, in each of which was set a diminutive shell. Learned antiquarians, upon investigating the nature of these rings, declared their opinion that they were worn as charms by those who desired to behave with steadiness and resolution either in prosperous or adverse fortune. I likewise took things of this nature in hand at the request of some gentlemen who were my particular friends, and wrought some of these little rings, but I made them of steel, welltempered, and then cut and inlaid with gold, so that they were very beautiful to behold; sometimes for a single ring of this sort I was paid above forty crowns.' In Rome there were altars to the Samothracian deities, who were supposed to preside over talismans. The people of that island were extensive manufacturers of iron rings, to which they attached supernatural qualities.
On ancient Mexican rings and seals set with precious stones are constellation representations, as, for example, Pisces. Those people awaited their Messiah, or Crusher of the Serpent, during the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, in the same zodiacal sign of Pisces, the protecting sign of Syria and Palestine.
Pliny informs us that the ancients set additional value on articles made of jet, such as rings, buttons, &c., from a notion that it possessed the virtue of driving away serpents -a belief which existed also in the days of the Venerable Bede, who, describing the various mineral productions of Britain, says: 'It has much excellent jet, which is black and sparkling, glittering at the fire, and, when heated, drives away serpents.' Some examples of jet rings have been found at Uriconium.