Ring featuring Pegasus

Interpretation of an extraordinary discovery

Our reproduction takes up this extraordinary motif and reinterprets it in solid bronze. Each ring is meticulously handcrafted in our workshop. It is produced using the traditional lost-wax casting process – a complex casting technique that has been in use since ancient times.

The result is a ring that is not merely a piece of jewellery, but a piece of history: a tribute to a fascinating find from Kalkriese, to Roman mythology, and to the people who shaped this landscape over 2,000 years ago.

Whoever wears this ring wears a symbol of inspiration, knowledge and the timeless power of ancient myths – and a faint echo of the history that lay hidden beneath the ground at Kalkriese.

In the year 9 AD, an event shook the Roman world: in the forests of Germania, a Roman army under the command of the governor Publius Quinctilius Varus was routed. The so-called Battle of Varus is regarded as one of Rome’s most momentous defeats and marked the end of Roman expansion east of the Rhine. Today, Kalkriese in Lower Saxony is regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites associated with this event. Thousands of artefacts have been discovered here – weapons, coins, equipment and personal belongings of Roman soldiers. They tell of dramatic hours, but also of the people who once lived here.

Among the particularly fascinating finds from the Kalkries area is an extraordinary finger ring featuring a mythological scene. This ring, whose motif serves as the basis for our interpretation, was discovered in 2020 during metal detector surveys. It is a gold finger ring set with a gem – a cut gemstone – depicting a scene featuring the winged horse Pegasus and a nymph.

The motif: Pegasus and the nymph

The depiction shows the winged Pegasus on the right, standing with a front hoof raised. To his left, a nymph sits on a rock, holding a branch in her hand and pouring water from a vessel. This scene draws on a well-known motif from ancient mythology: Pegasus was regarded as a wondrous horse capable of striking springs from rocks with his hoof – including the famous Hippocrene spring on Mount Helicon, which was considered a source of poetic inspiration.

In ancient art, Pegasus is usually depicted alone or together with his rider, Bellerophon. Scenes featuring Pegasus and nymphs, on the other hand, are rare and rank among the most poetic motifs in Roman art. They symbolise inspiration, knowledge and the creative power of nature. The ring from Kalkriese depicts a scene that has scarcely been recorded in this form to date – possibly the encounter between Pegasus and a spring nymph, or the creation of a spring by the impact of his hoof.

Origin and significance of the original

The original ring dates from the late Republic or the Augustan period, i.e. the time around the Battle of Varus. Its shape and the style of the gem setting allow it to be dated precisely to this period. The precious gold ring with its artfully cut gem suggests a wealthy owner – possibly a Roman officer or a person of high social standing.

In the Roman world, rings like these were more than just jewellery: they could be status symbols, serve as seals, or be awarded as a mark of military distinction. The fact that such a personal item was lost in the midst of battle makes this find particularly poignant – perhaps the ring once belonged to someone who met their fate during the events at Kalkriese.

Comparative finds

Depictions of Pegasus are quite common in ancient glyptics – the art of stone carving. However, they usually depict other scenes, such as Pegasus with Bellerophon or the battle against the Chimera. Depictions of Pegasus surrounded by a group of nymphs have also been preserved in Roman mosaics and works of art.

The Kalkrieser Ring holds a special place amongst these depictions: it is one of the earliest known images to show Pegasus together with a single nymph. As such, it offers a rare insight into the imagery of Roman mythology – and into the inner world of its wearer.