merchant's ring

...Later, when the king sent his representatives, the custom of having them bring the king's signet ring to show sufficient authority arose. Around the 14th century, the practice of making signet rings with heraldic symbols spread from Italy to various places, and in the 15th century, merchants made bronze or brass rings with their store's trademarks for use as signets, which came to be called merchant's rings. (2) Clergy rings In Christianity, in the Middle Ages, rings were given to bishops at their investiture ceremonies as a sign of their status. ...

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "merchant's ring" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…のち国王が代表者を派遣するとき，それに十分の権威を示させるため，国王の認印指輪を持参させる風習が生じた。14世紀ころに紋章入り認印指輪をつくることがイタリアから各地にひろがり，15世紀になると，商人が店の商標を入れた認印専用の青銅または黄銅製のものをつくり，これは〈商人の指輪merchant’s ring〉と呼ばれた。(2)聖職者の指輪　キリスト教では，中世に指輪が司教の叙任式にその地位を表すしるしとして与えられた。…

※「merchant's ring」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報