AV-1 ring

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Object
Classification:	ring
Material:	silver
Size:	diameter min. 1.8, diameter max. 2.2 cm, height 0.25 cm, weight 0.831 g
Condition:	complete
Archaeological culture:	Hallstatt D
Date:	5th century BC
Date derived from:	archaeological context
Site:	Nußdorf (Bayern, Germany)
Field name:	Flur Moosholz
Coordinates (approx.):	47° 54' 21.60" N, 12° 35' 42.00" E [from site]
Find date:	1995
Find circumstances:	stray find
Current location:	Archäologische Staatssammlung München
Inventory Nr.:	2001,37
Inscription:	AV-1 (tịp̣ṛuχ̣ṇụḷạṿịṣẹẓ§)
Sources:	Ziegaus & Rix 1998: 296–303, fig. 1,3 Neudert 2005: 9, fig. 4a, 4b Ziegaus 2011: 644, fig. 7.18 Hauser 2011: 69–70 (cat. No. 2), pl. 1,2

Images

Object AV-1 ring - upper side.

Object AV-1 ring with inscription AV-1.

Object AV-1 ring with inscription AV-1.

Object AV-1 ring with inscripion AV-1.

Object AV-1 ring with inscription AV-1 - unrolled view by digital post processing / photomontage.

Commentary

Silver ring.
The ring is not completely round, but consists of numerous angular parts. Neither outside nor inside seams are visible. On the outside marks of hammer blows, on the inside traces of filing.
Outside a circumferential inscription.
The ring was discovered with other findings like a fibula or a coin by a private person at Moosholz near to Nußdorf. In the immediate vicinity of the ring was also found the fibula which dates to the late Hallstatt period, to the beginning of the 5th century BC. Consequently the ring could also date to the beginning of the 5th century BC, but it is not a constrained dating because silver objects of the Hallstatt period are very rare until now and other objects which date to the following period were also discovered at the find place. Moreover there are no parallel objects with regard to the form of the ring north of the Alps.
Predominantly the objects discovered at Moosholz are fragmentary resp. demonstrate an intentional destruction. Therefore the find place could be interpreted as burnt offering site.

Bibliography

Hauser 2011	Florian Hauser, "Ein Opferplatz im Chiemgau?. Die hallstattzeitlichen Metallfunde von Nußdorf "Moosholz" (Lkr. Traunstein)", Bayerische Vorgeschichtsblätter Jahrgang 76 (2011), 55–142.