Talisman rings

Number recorded on PAS database: 13

Talisman rings were in use in the Middle Ages and were believed to have magical powers that were able to ward off or cure ailments. Sometimes the inscriptions were nonsensical and were just (apparently) random letters but in some example the names (or variants of) of the magi (three wise men – Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar) were used as these were thought to have curative powers.

Destination

Inscription position

Inscription language

Lettering style

List of all inscriptions (sorted alphabetically)

Inscription	Date	Makers' Mark	PAS ID	Found (County)
Ave Maria graciaple / Gespar Melchior Batizar	Not known	None	CAM-FC8852	Bedfordshire
Avovovavo / Voavovoavoa	Not known	None	WAW-E13C15	Warwickshire
DEBALHGVÐÐANIAEN	11th-13th C	None	NMS-A7B226	Norfolk
Debal gud gudgudani	14th C	None	ESS-53A9B2	Essex
I O L V M	13th-14th C	None	OXON-5EB486	Essex
I e s flvr v I I e s / I f (?) d e I n a m v r v m a n l r d(?) e r	13th C	None	PAS-809196	Warwickshire
Iaspar Melchior Baltazar / R	14th-15th C	None	SF-5193	Suffolk
Iesvs Maria Iohannes : Iaspar Melchior Balthazar	15th C	None	LVPL-C12A98	Cheshire
Jasper Melcior Baltazar	15th C	None	YORYM-9575E2	North Yorkshire
S E retrograde (?) ? E(?) ? W(?) A(?) I N T A	13th C	None	DENO-066695	Lincolnshire
THEBALGVTGVTHANI	14th C	None	HAMP-436072	Hampshire
Tran alfa do on te	13th C	None	NLM-7EF107	Lincolnshire
Yaspar Melchior Baltasar	15th C	None	PAS-A33562	West Yorkshire