A Rare Greek Silver Ring with Cicada and Serpent Motif, Archaic Period, ca. 6th - 5th century BCE

An exceptional silver finger ring from Archaic Greece, featuring an intricately rendered cicada in raised relief on the oval bezel. The cicada, with finely incised wing veins and a rounded thorax, is depicted frontally, its body aligned with the long axis of the bezel. The design is both anatomical and stylized, characteristic of the transitional aesthetic between Geometric and Classical Greek metalwork.

The bezel is held in place by two finely detailed serpent heads, one on each shoulder, their forms subtly emerging from the tapered shank. The serpents are not merely structural but intentionally symbolic, tying the ring’s form and function to deeper cultural meaning.

In ancient Greece, the cicada was a deeply symbolic creature, associated with immortality, rebirth, and the transcendence of the soul. Its natural cycle of emerging from the earth and shedding its form resonated with ideas of spiritual renewal. Similarly, the serpent was associated with healing, protection, and the underworld. It often served as a guardian symbol in both domestic and funerary contexts.

This sculptural combination of insect and serpent imagery is exceptionally rare for the period. The ring’s robust form and symbolic richness suggest it may have served not merely as adornment, but as a protective talisman or identity marker tied to personal belief or ritual practice.

Medium:  Silver

Dimensions:  US ring size 10  (UK=T 1/2, EU=62, JP=20)

Condition:  Very well-preserved. Minor surface wear consistent with age, the engraved motif remains clear.

Provenance:  From the family collection of Isabella Friedinger-Prantner, Vienna, Austria; collected during the 1950s–1960s.

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