Nose Ring 7th-12th century

This nose ring was created at an unknown date by an anonymous artist with an unknown medium. The form is a disc with a segment cut out, probably for ease of insertion, while the material combines a blue stone with chunks of gold. Personal adornment is interesting to the social historian, and nose rings have been used in many cultures to signify everything from marital status to wealth and social standing. Perhaps the blue color of the stone has a particular symbolic meaning, too, while the gold is almost certainly indicative of status. It would be interesting to know where the materials originated. Was the blue stone locally sourced, or did it come from far away, along established trade routes? And how did the gold get there? Was it mined locally, or was it obtained through military conquest? Archaeological records, ethnographies, and accounts from early travelers would all be useful in helping us better understand the place of this nose ring in the culture that produced it.