c. 323-31 BC. Greek Hellenistic period. A stunning gold ring with a rounded band, petal-shaped shoulders and circular plate bezel featuring an engraved scene showing Leda and the Swan. Leda, a princess from Aetolia, who would later become the queen of Sparta, was carried off by Zeus, king of the gods, in the form of swan. According to a later mythological tradition, their sexual union would lead to the birth of Helen and Polydeuces, two major figures in Greek mythology. This myth therefore encapsulates the origin of the most important myths from the ancient world, for it is the rape of Helen which directly leads to the Trojan War, and the first work of literature in the western world: Homer’s Iliad. The Hellenistic period, which runs from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the battle of Actium is 31 BC, was an era in which Greek-speaking peoples controlled much of the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia as far as present-day Afghanistan. This period saw many momentous scientific discoveries and artistic developments, including the creation of intricate jewellery, as this gorgeous piece exemplifies. XRF analysis by an independent Belgian laboratory. All samples correspond to the metal content of the period specified; no modern trace elements were detected in the patina; expertly cleaned and conserved. Excellent condition; wearable.Size: D: 21.3mm / US: 11 7/8 / UK: X 1/2; 11.58g; Provenance: Property of a London doctor; formerly in a Mayfair collection; acquired in the mid-90s.