close of the Exhibition they were safely returned to Siam.
An American traveller in Cambodia, in 1871, succeeded in having a few rings made for him by a native Buddhist bonza, the
material being old metal found lying about among the idols of a temple
at Ongchor. The work of the priest gives evidence of a considerable
degree of skill in design, doubtless derived from examination and study
of native and Indian types of rings. The type having an intertwined
bezel prevails; one massive ring is penannular.21 An
elaborate Burmese ring has the hoop in the form of a serpent, whose
open mouth displays the death-dealing fangs. Along the body runs a
continuous band of rubies placed in oval settings. The rest of the
surface is adorned with green, red and white enamel—mouth, nose, tail
and scales being brought out in this way. Of two red stones which
originally marked the serpent's eyes, one has fallen out; on either
side of the head is a small sapphire. This fine ring is in the British
Museum.22
While
fifty years ago in Japan the women of the better classes did not favor
the wearing of finger-rings, it was not infrequently the case that
kitchenmaids and housemaids would wear silver or brass rings. They are
believed to have been influenced by the example of Dutch women in
Nagasaki.23 At the present day American and European influence is very slow in making itself felt in the direction of ring-wearing.
21 Communicated by Mr. F. W. Partridge, through Mr. Walter C. Wyman.
22 O.
M. Dalton, " Franks Bequest : Catalogue of the Finger Rings, Early
Christian, Byzantine, Teutonic, Mediasval and Later [British Museum],"
London, 1912, p. 336, No. 2422, PI. xxx.
23 Communicated by Dr. T. Wada, of Tokio.
