An “enthusiastic volunteer” found a “remarkable” piece of ancient jewelry while assisting in an archaeological dig, BBC Scotland reported.
John Ralph, a 68-year-old former engineer who lives near the Scottish shore, first became involved in excavations after he retired and was searching for ways to fill his time. “I had recently retired and saw a post looking for volunteers to help with the Burghead excavations,” Ralph explained. “My sister still lives in Burghead, and it sounded interesting, so I thought, why not. I have now joined three different digs there, each for two weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed them all, but my initial enthusiasm for finds was somewhat dented by my knack of [sic] getting excited for shiny pebbles,” he admitted. “I had found a few interesting items, including bone pins, and it was great being part of the team, which was the real draw.”
Amateur Makes Amazing Discovery
Ralph’s luck changed, however, when he uncovered an ancient ring at a site which is believed to have been “a significant seat of power” 500 and 1000 C.E., during the Pictish rule. He was cleaning out a former residence when he noticed something gleaming in the dirt. Ralph curbed his expectations, but “lo and behold, there was the ring.”
“John was digging and then came over and said, ‘Look what I’ve found,’” recalled excavation leader Gordon Noble, a Professor of Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen. Noble called Ralph’s discovery “truly incredible.” “We could see it was something really exciting as despite more than 1,000 years in the ground, we could see glints of the possible garnet setting,” he said, adding that the artifact is particularly rare. “There are very few Pictish rings which have ever been discovered, and those we do know about usually come from hoards which were placed in the ground deliberately for safekeeping in some way,” Noble explained.
M. Tymiński/WUOZ in Gdańsk Pomeranian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments / Nauka
Ring Will Be Displayed for the Public
The Pic people, or Picti (Latin for “Painted People”), were formidable warriors who made up the largest settlement in Dark Age Scotland, fending off both Romans and Englishmen who tried to seize their land. Pics became extinct around the end of the first millenium, when the Gaels kingdom succeeded them. Researchers say the newly discovered ring opens up a window into a society which “disappeared from history.” The ring is currently being analyzed at the National Museum of Scotland, after which it will be put on display to the public.
