Memento mori ring, United Kingdom, 1692

Made:
1692 in United Kingdom
Gold memento mori ring Gold memento mori ring

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Gold memento mori ring
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Gold memento mori ring
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Gold memento mori ring, set with a circular transparent stone which contains an image of a skull and cross bones, inscribed, 1692

‘Memento mori’ translates from Latin as ‘Remember you must die’. They were intended to remind people about the shortness of life and the inevitability of death.

This gold memento mori ring was made in 1692 in memory of a loved one. It bears the inscription, ‘MD died 6th of …1692’ on the inner circle of the ring and the image of a skull and crossbones set within a circular transparent stone. A skull commonly represented death from the 1500s onwards. It replaced the use of a skeleton.

Details

Category:
Wellcome (general)
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A641584
Materials:
gold, crystal, ? material and hair
Measurements:
overall: 25 mm x 25 mm
type:
ring - jewelry and memento mori