The rings seen on Egyptian monuments (of which we give a representation in a later chapter) are of round wire; those found by Schliemann in the tombs of Mycenae[57] (Fig. 9) consist both of round wire rings like the Egyptian, and likewise of spirals of quadrangular wire. As _finger_ rings (δακτύλιοι) are not mentioned in Homer, it has been assumed that the Homeric Greeks did not employ rings at all. Hence in a famous passage where the ornaments made by Hephaestus for the goddesses are described, we find mention of brooches, _bent spirals_ (ἕλικες) ear-drops[58], and chains. Helbig[59] explains the _helikes_ as a kind of brooch made of four spirals, such as are worn in parts of Central Europe, but it is difficult to believe that people who were using brooches with pins and necklaces would not have known and employed the far simpler ring. Again, why should we find two distinct words for brooches coming thus together? Is it not far more likely that in the spirals of Mycenae we have the real _bent helikes_ of Homer? These spirals would serve not only for finger rings, but might be used in the hair, or more probably still were used as a means of fastening on the dress, being passed through eyelet holes or loops, on the principle of the modern key ring[60]. On comparing them with the Scandinavian spiral (Fig. 1) the reader will see that this primitive form of employing gold was widely diffused over Europe. The Scandinavians used such ornaments of _bent_ wire (O.N. _baugr_, A.S. _beag_ from root BUG, _to bend_) very commonly, beside oxen and other property, as media of exchange. Thus both _beag_ in Anglo-Saxon, and _baugr_ in Old Norse became used as general names for treasure. Thus _baugbrota_ (cf. _hring brota_), literally _ring-breaker_, was used as an epithet of princes, meaning _distributor of treasure_[61]. [Illustration: FIG. 10. Nos. 1, 2, found in Tipperary; 3, Scandinavian; 4, 5, found in Co. Mayo; 6, 7, 8, ordinary Irish type.] The same spirals of quadrangular wire were probably employed by the Kelts, as that shown in Fig. 10, No. 3 was found in Ireland; Nos. 4 and 5 are of quadrangular wire but are simple hoops, whilst in Nos. 6, 7, 8, we get the regular Irish type of a round wire not completely closed[62]. The latter probably represent a more advanced state of art, as their makers must have had considerable metallurgic skill, No. 8 being made of gold plated over a copper core. As we shall see further on, the Egyptian rings are made on a standard almost identical with the Homeric talent, and I have shown elsewhere that the rings from Mycenae were made on almost the same standard[63]. I shall endeavour to show in an Appendix that the Irish rings also show evidence of being made on a definite standard, whilst it has been long well known that the Scandinavian rings and armlets have likewise a standard of their own.