Museum Dokkum acquires rare 16th-century gold love ring

Museum Dokkum has added a rare gold love ring to its collection, marking the first of its kind in Friesland and only the second in the Netherlands. The ring was displayed Saturday, Valentine’s Day, in Museum Dokkum’s permanent exhibition on the city’s history.

The ring, dating from the late 16th or early 17th century, is an example of a “poëziering,” a type of ring traditionally given as a symbol of love or commitment.

The ring was unearthed in the soil around Dokkum by an anonymous finder, according to a museum spokesperson. Engraved on the inside is a French inscription reading “tue ma vie me” (“you are my life”), while the outside bears the phrase “seule pour une” (“only for you”).

Museum officials had the ring appraised and purchased it with financial support from the Ottema Kingma Stichting. The museum declined to disclose the purchase price.