uals ▁who ▁fer vent ly ▁believed ▁in ▁the ▁old ▁values ▁and ▁who ▁inter red ▁the ▁objects ▁when ▁serious ▁per sec ution ▁of ▁non - Christ ians ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 9 0 s ". ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁gold ▁objects ▁appear ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁fresh , ▁apparently ▁unw orn ▁condition . ▁Roman ▁gold , ▁which ▁is ▁of ▁high ▁pur ity ▁( in ▁this ▁case , ▁with ▁a ▁mean ▁gold ▁content ▁of ▁over ▁ 9 4   percent ; ▁is ▁soft , ▁and ▁quickly ▁shows ▁signs ▁of ▁use . ▁ ▁This ▁pr ist ine ▁condition ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁unusual ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁Th et ford ▁j ew ell ery ▁assemb lage . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁rings ▁have ▁design ▁and ▁work mans hip ▁characteristics ▁in ▁common ▁that ▁suggest ▁they ▁may ▁be ▁the ▁products ▁of ▁a ▁single ▁work shop , ▁while ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁matching ▁pair ▁of ▁bra ce lets ▁is ▁also ▁par alle led ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁rings ▁( items   1 0 ▁and ▁ 1 2 ). ▁It ▁would ▁be ▁somewhat ▁surprising ▁for ▁a ▁single ▁owner , ▁or ▁even ▁a ▁family , ▁to ▁possess ▁such ▁a ▁compar atively ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁rings ▁which ▁seem ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁acquired ▁from ▁a ▁single ▁source ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time . ▁Personal ▁collections ▁of ▁j ew ell ery ▁usually ▁contain ▁pieces ▁of ▁different ▁ages ▁and ▁conditions . ▁ ▁Sign ific ance ▁ ▁The ▁Th et ford ▁assemb lage , ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁sad ly ▁in ade qu ate ▁details ▁of