Rare Roman ring unearthed in UK
A volunteer, digging near the cold stone of Hadrian’s Wall, found an ancient silver ring with a delicate engraving.
The ring was discovered at the Roman Fort of Magna in Northumberland, UK. The fort is located near the western edge of Hadrian’s Wall, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
Magna and its nearby sister site, Vindolanda, represent an important archaeological point. These sites yield countless objects that explain life on the empire’s frontier, where the Romans maintained a formidable military presence for centuries.
The discovery was made in early August this year by a volunteer named Shaun, reports KosovaPress.
Even before any cleaning or conservation, it was clear that this was a beautiful piece of jewelry and in remarkably good condition despite being buried for more than 1,500 years.
The small precious stone bears an engraving of a hare. In the Roman world, hares carried symbolic meaning, as they were associated with fertility, agility, and rebirth. They also appeared in Roman art as motifs of luck and the natural world.
The Vindolanda Charitable Trust announced the discovery in its “excavation diary” update on November 19.
The ring has already made its television debut, appearing in episode three of Sandi Toksvig’s Hidden Wonders on November 18.
Hadrian’s Wall is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, whose construction began in AD 122 during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.
