Ring with Ethiopian Brass Status Adornment

Four small holes and a domed boss decorate a scalloped golden disc.

This brass and sterling silver ring with Ethiopian status adornment is contemporary. Ethiopia has a rich tradition of metalwork in silver, brass and copper, and personal ornaments often signal age, region or social standing. Round and wavy-edged, the plate has a dense ring of tiny punched marks, with a domed center inside a raised circle. Four small round perforations sit around the boss, and the surface is mottled and worn.

Sun-like, scuffed, and unmistakably decorated by hand.