Ancient Roman-era gold ring depicting Cupid found in England

A 1,700-year-old beautifully carved gold ring has been discovered near the village of Tangley in the United Kingdom. The ring from the era of Roman England features an onyx stone having engravings of what appears to be an image of Cupid, or Eros (Greek), who is widely regarded as the god of erotic love and desire.

The ring has engraved spiral designs and may have been worn by man or woman, according to researchers, Live Science reported. The male image in the ring is holding a torch in one hand while leaning on a spiral column as he stands cross-legged. He has wings too, an indication through which the researchers identified him as Cupid.

The ring "depicts a standing naked adolescent with crossed legs, leaning on a short spiral column; the short wings which sprout from his shoulders identify him as Cupid", the report quoted Sally Worrell, national finds adviser with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, and John Pearce, senior lecturer in archaeology at King's College London, as saying.

The researchers said several rings with Cupid's image engraved on stones and dating to the period when Romans ruled England have been known to exist. Depicting Cupid in art was popular in both Greek and Roman cultures. The newly-found gold ring's design suggests it was crafted in AD4, they said.

The image of Cupid appears to be translucent because of the onyx stone, which is bluish at the top but dark at the base on which it is engraved. The stone ring set in gold will be put on display at the Andover Museum in Andover.