550-800 AD. Avar. Silver ring with round hoop and circular plate bezel with incised horse and rider motif within a circle. The Avars were warlike people from the Eurasian steppe who swept into Eastern Europe during the middle of the 6th century AD. Famed for their prowess as mounted warriors, they probably introduced stirrups to the Western world, allowing for the later development of heavy cavalry during the Middle Ages. The importance of mounted warfare among the Avars makes this horse and rider motif a particularly appropriate choice to adorn a ring. Excellent condition; wearable.Size: D: 16.3mm / US: 5 3/4 / UK: L 1/4; 2.8g; Provenance: Property of a London gallery, previously in old British collection formed in the 1970s.