Jewellery offered significant symbolism during the Medieval period. Not only was it used as a display of wealth and social status but it also served as a practical purpose. Some signet rings would display a family crest or other personal imagery to be used to sign documents and authenticate important letters. The material each piece was produced from played a major part in the hierarchy system. Those of royalty and nobleness would wear gold where as those of a lower status would wear bronze and copper as it was a more affordable metal. These pieces were then enriched with precious stones and different metal work techniques including filigree, chasing, repoussé, gilding and granulation, much like this example.
To find out more about different metal decorative techniques please see our relevant blog post: Decorative Metalwork Techniques
