Four Thousand Years of Rings

More than any other class of jewelry, the ring is intimately related to both the individual and society. It is a form of personal adornment which has traditionally played a public role by virtue of its emblematic and ceremonial significance. This exhibition showcases categories of rings ranging from dress rings, ecclesiastical rings, amulet rings and commemorative rings from Egypt and the Middle East, Greece, Rome, the Byzantine Empire and Europe through to the twentieth century. The exhibition was brought to Australia by the Goethe Institute, Melbourne in cooperation with the Crafts Board of the Australia Council and coincides with the Third Biennial Conference of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia.