Evening star., 1916-03-12

n MISCELLANEOUS collection of
IN rings at both the old and new
IN museums represents periods IN
- q history extending from the re-
motest ages of antiquity down to the
present day. Curator DIR. ]. NJ Casono-
vicz at the New National Museum.
narrates innumerable interesting facts
concerning these favorite pieces of
jewelry of ancient and modern times.
The ring served a threefold purpose
among Egyptians. Assyrians. Babylo-
mans. Greeks. Hebrews and their CO.
temporaries. 1t was used first as a seal,
second as an amulet and third as an
ornament. As rule, only high OFF,
cials and people of great prominence
wore rings that were pretentious. Pas
sages from holy Scripture illustrate the
use of the ring as an emblem of re-
spect and authority in those days. 1t
was also employed as a sacred pledge
to fulfill promise.
Pure gold was among the earliest
materials used in fashioning rings, but
other metals sufficiently ductile and
malleable TO yield to a certain process
were also used. The superior rings
were very thin.
The ancients wore rings not only on
their fingers. but on their toes. in their
ears and nostrils. Israelitish rings in
cluded nose. ear, toe as we'll as finger
rings.
The ring OF early Egypt was proba-
bly, among the first known to authen-
tic history. Jewels of every sort were
found hidden away in tho marvellous
and mysterious tombs of these ancients.
The favored Egyptian ring was a mas
sfve signet ring. and distinctive de-
eisn was that of the sacred beetle, or
scarab. The Egyptians made the soa-
rab the symbol Of the world. the sun,
the moon. the generation, an only son,
valor, manly power etc. One of these
rings in particular has the scarab ex-
quisitely engraved on one side and tho
under side of the scarab is engraved
with tho device Of the crab.
Gold was preferred to silver for the
more elaborate rings. gold ring
among the lower classes Of Egyptians
was rare. though they had quite re-
markable rings of ivory and porcelain.
Wonderful shades of blue were very
much admired. and rings of white and
yellow porcelain were also worn
In the new museum there are two
Egyptian glass rings. one a clear
bright. dark blue and the other a
cloudy. opalescent light blue. Another
curious Egyptian ring on display In
the museum is of porcelain. which looks
like old ivory. II is made in the form
of a lotus flower. with the head of a
lion. the emblem of the goddess Sechet
This ring is massive. and measures an
inch and half in diameter, evidently
intended for the finger of a man. In
this same collection is a silver scarab
ring. centuries old inscribed with
Amen Ra." king of the gods and
"Khonsu," meaning beautiful of years
The scarab measures three-ouarters OF
an inch one way and one-half an inch
the other. II is believed to have been
worn in the fifteenth century before
Christ.
Ia the neighborhood of the silver
scarab ring is the fragment of a faience
ring, a ring made of a singular sort of
fne glazed and painted earthenware.
on THIS fragment is engraved the name
of "Ammon Ra.''
Some of the Egyptian rings resemble
a minute and complete picture in detail
OF design. For instance. one of the
larger porcelain rings. seven-eighths OF
an inch broad. one-sixteenth of an inch
In thickness, represented lotus flower