This is a beautiful spider poison ring set with a diamond shaped 6mm by 9mm black onyx cabochon. The inside of the compartment is 9mm long by 6mm wide and is about 4mm deep at the shallowest point. Most people find poison rings simply irresistible. I am often asked what people keep in them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Poison rings along with lockets and other vessel jewelry originated in India and the Far East.
As the art of metalworking advanced such jewelry was a natural replacement for the bags and pouches people had worn in ancient times to secure special and valuable objects. Also known as locket or box rings, examples of poison rings can be found throughout Asia, Russia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Historians believe that poison rings found their way to Western Europe during the early Middle Ages as part of the Holy Relic trade. These much sought after bits of bone, teeth or hair, were believed to be actual parts of Christian Saints or Martyrs and so were thought to grant the owner special connection with God as well as protection from illness and bad luck. Although the majority of the Holy Relics were hoarded in chapels and churches throughout Europe many lesser relics were embedded in wax and set inside locket rings, making them perfect for everyday wear.