Greek
Chersonesos lion signet ring, Classical Greek, circa 386 - 338 BC
Silver, gold
Diameter of bezel: 1.6 cm
Ring size UK: Q 1/2
Ring size UK: Q 1/2
A bespoke modern 18 carat gold ring set with an ancient silver hemidrachm of Chersonesos, Thrace. The hemidrachm dates to circa 386 - 338 BC and depicts the forepart of...
A bespoke modern 18 carat gold ring set with an ancient silver hemidrachm of Chersonesos, Thrace.
The hemidrachm dates to circa 386 - 338 BC and depicts the forepart of a roaring lion on the obverse, its head turned back to look behind, and a quadripartite incuse square, with two sunken quarters each containing a pellet on the reverse.
The hemidrachm dates to circa 386 - 338 BC and depicts the forepart of a roaring lion on the obverse, its head turned back to look behind, and a quadripartite incuse square, with two sunken quarters each containing a pellet on the reverse.
Provenance
Kallos Gallery, London, acquired from Dix Noonan and Web, London, September 2021Literature
Chersonesos was an ancient Greek city-state located in Thrace. Like other Greek city-states, Chersonesos was built on land from which it could exploit the military or economic advantages of its location. Located on a peninsula extending from Europe into the Aegean on the west and the Dardanelles on the east, its name derives from the ancient Greek word for ‘peninsula’.Lions appear on ancient coins from the very dawn of coinage. As the king of beasts lions were often chosen by Greek city-states to represent their city.