Rings are art history and social history and are of interest to collectors, as well as those involved with jewelry and art and design. Man has worn and traded rings from the time of the early empires -- for occasions from decorative ornament to business dealings. Their creation and uses are explored from the Hittites through to Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Crete and Cyprus, from the second millennium B.C. to the 4th century A.D. In modern times, they are described in medieval, Renaissance and the 17th and 18th centuries. Signet rings, magic rings, rings commemorating love and marriage, memorial rings and "Giardinetti" decorative rings are included.

Poet James Fenton's essay on collecting rings introduces this fascinating but arcane component of decorative arts. Part of the Ashmolean Handbook series.