Hi Gene,
I perfectly understand your theory about the ring being a device for an intended use.
But to give you an idea ... and talking in inches.
Knife (dagger) total length is about 9 1/2". The ring interior measures between 3/8" and 1/2"., so impossible to penetrate with a finger. Besides, as it is positioned almost at the middle of the piece, so distant from the handle body, all you could do, grip wise, would be to extend your index finger and place it 'upon' the ring circumference, more in a 'directive' attitude than in a 'holding' one. I don't say this wouldn't serve the sugested purpose, but i doubt it. I am more inclined to consider, under influence of the three brass dots, that both details could be some kind of traditional or ritual (hardly free)decoration.
It is worthy of note, the ring not appearing to be an assessor to the handle, but having its own presence.
If it weren't for the false edge in half of the blade back, denoting this is more a stabbing 'punal' than a current use knife, we could wonder about the ring being a tool device, like for bending or extracting something, but it appears not to be the case.
All yours,
Fernando
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