Javanese Silver-Gilt Conch Ring
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An early Javanese silver-gilt Vishnu ring dating to the 8th–10th century, from the Classical Period of Southeast Asian history.The ring is formed with a distinctive lozenge-shaped bezel, raised and bordered by a jagged, radiating discus motif, representing the ‘Chakra’. At its centre is a finely modelled conch, the ‘Shankha’, one of the principal attributes of Vishnu. Together, the Sudarshan Chakra and Shankha symbolise divine protection, cosmic order, and the cyclical nature of time; the Chakra as the wheel of time and power, and the Shankha as the primordial sound of creation.The form closely aligns with known examples held in museum collections, including comparable pieces in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession numbers: 1998.544.304; 1998.544.309; 1998.544.362).Rings of this type were worn by both men and women in the Javanese Classical Period, as evidenced in temple sculpture and statuary. Jewellery functioned not only as adornment but also as a portable store of wealth and a medium of exchange; precious metals were used in payments, ceremonial gifting, and funerary contexts.The ring is crafted in silver with a gold gilt surface, now softly worn in places, revealing the underlying silver and lending the piece a desirable archaeological patina.Weight 5.57gUK size M 1/2, US size 6.5A rare and historically resonant piece; both an object of adornment and a tangible link to early Javanese belief and society.
Further reading: Gold of the Gods: Ancient Javanese and Balinese Rings
An early Javanese silver-gilt Vishnu ring dating to the 8th–10th century, from the Classical Period of Southeast Asian history.
The ring is formed with a distinctive lozenge-shaped bezel, raised and bordered by a jagged, radiating discus motif, representing the ‘Chakra’. At its centre is a finely modelled conch, the ‘Shankha’, one of the principal attributes of Vishnu. Together, the Sudarshan Chakra and Shankha symbolise divine protection, cosmic order, and the cyclical nature of time; the Chakra as the wheel of time and power, and the Shankha as the primordial sound of creation.
The form closely aligns with known examples held in museum collections, including comparable pieces in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession numbers: 1998.544.304; 1998.544.309; 1998.544.362).
Rings of this type were worn by both men and women in the Javanese Classical Period, as evidenced in temple sculpture and statuary. Jewellery functioned not only as adornment but also as a portable store of wealth and a medium of exchange; precious metals were used in payments, ceremonial gifting, and funerary contexts.
The ring is crafted in silver with a gold gilt surface, now softly worn in places, revealing the underlying silver and lending the piece a desirable archaeological patina.
Weight 5.57g
UK size M 1/2, US size 6.5
A rare and historically resonant piece; both an object of adornment and a tangible link to early Javanese belief and society.
Further reading: Gold of the Gods: Ancient Javanese and Balinese Rings
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