Description
There are about 100 massive gilded bronze rings of this type known today. They are all apparently 15th-century Italian and all bear combinations of emblems, including the double-headed Habsburg eagle, the papal tiara and crossed keys, and those of great families from which archbishops, cardinals, and popes have come. It has been suggested that they may have served as a secure form of credential or passport for messengers or others on official business.
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