The University of Aberdeen has revealed that an amateur archaeologist has discovered a 1,000-year-old ring at a fort in Moray, Scotland.
a press release University researchers described the Pictish ring as “remarkable” and detailed how the exquisite piece was discovered in an area thought to be “archaeologically devastated”. Much of the area's history was lost during the construction of the town of Burghead in the 1800s, making this ring a truly fascinating find.
The fine jewellery is shaped like a kite and is thought to have remained in place for more than 1,000 years. John Ralph, a self-described “keen amateur” at Burghead excavations, discovered it after picking up a large amount of “shiny pebbles”.
The term “Picts” stands for “Painted People”, a derogatory term coined by the Romans to describe non-Roman Britons during their occupation. According to Go to HistoryHit.
#Archaeology A Pictish ring (dating to at least 1000 years ago) discovered in Burghead by a volunteer from Aberdeen University. https://t.co/RohaHSEFjf pic.twitter.com/mOLRXBDW4E
— Tim Bolton 🐿 | 🏹 Laureline's Lanateur 💍(he/him) (@timboltonuk) September 10, 2024
On the final day of the excavation, despite repeated comments from experts that Ralph was good at not finding anything, Ralph proved everyone wrong.
“Even before the conservation work began, I knew it would be truly exciting to see the garnets still shining after being buried for more than a thousand years,” Gordon Noble, a professor of archaeology at the university, said in a statement.
“Pictish rings have rarely been found and most that we know of have come from deposits that had been buried underground for some kind of deliberate safekeeping. We never expected to find something like this lying around on the floor of a former home but it didn't seem particularly important so, as we usually do, postponed work on it until the last day of the excavation,” he added. (Related: Archaeologists discover evidence linking Merlin to Arthurian legend)
The ring will now be analysed to help plan further excavations at the site. “Given Scotland's incredibly rich history, it's not surprising that important parts of Scotland's past continue to be discovered in the most unexpected places,” said Susan O'Connor of Historic Environment Scotland. We can't wait to see what we find next!
