Medieval Ring Unearthed in the Shadow of Armageddon

Ancient Origins

A rare 700-year-old bronze ring bearing a tiny image of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of pilgrims and travelers, was dug up in a routine weeding exercise in northern Israel.

Gardener Dekel Ben-Shitrit who discovered the ancient artifact told reporters at Haaratz “I rubbed it slightly and I saw it was carved with a human image inside a frame.” As to how it got here, specialists suspect that it was “dropped by a medieval-era pilgrim making his or way to the Galilee in Israel’s north.”

Ben-Shitrit’s neighbor in a kibbutz in northern Israel, Dror Ben-Yosef, is the director of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s Lower Galilee Education Center, and the Haaratz report said that as soon as he saw the ring he knew it was rare and valuable so “he put Ben-Shitrit in touch with the Israel Antiquities Authority.”

Gardener Dekel Ben-Shitrit with the ring he found while weeding. (Nir Distelfeld, Israel Antiquities Authority)

The ring was dated to between the Crusader and Mameluke periods — from the 12th to the 15 centuries and IAA archaeologist Yana Tchekhanovetz, who specializes in the Byzantine period, told reporters at Times of Israel “it was amazingly well preserved and will contribute a great deal to science.”

The ring is decorated with a smiling bald man holding a bishop’s crook, which specialists identified as being hallmarks of St. Nicholas. Tchekhanovetz told reporters “It is probable that the ring belonged to a pilgrim who sought the protection of St. Nicholas on his travels.” In Eastern Christianity, St. Nicholas was considered the patron saint of travel, including of pilgrims and sailors and in Western Christianity, the “compassionate and giving” St Nicholas world turn into Santa Claus.

Gardener Dekel Ben-Shitrit with the ring he found while weeding. (Nir Distelfeld, Israel Antiquities Authority)

The ring was dated to between the Crusader and Mameluke periods — from the 12th to the 15 centuries and IAA archaeologist Yana Tchekhanovetz, who specializes in the Byzantine period, told reporters at Times of Israel “it was amazingly well preserved and will contribute a great deal to science.” The ring is decorated with a smiling bald man holding a bishop’s crook, which specialists identified as being hallmarks of St. Nicholas. Tchekhanovetz told reporters “It is probable that the ring belonged to a pilgrim who sought the protection of St. Nicholas on his travels.” In Eastern Christianity, St. Nicholas was considered the patron saint of travel, including of pilgrims and sailors and in Western Christianity, the “compassionate and giving” St Nicholas world turn into Santa Claus.

Armageddon
You must be asking yourself by this stage, what on earth this all has to do with “the Shadow of Armageddon” in the headline? Well, only 6 miles from where Ben-Shitrit dug up the ring is a very ancient place of immense historic, geographic and theologic importance - Tel Migiddo. Excavations have unearthed 26 layers of ruins, indicating an extremely long period of settlement and this was a very important Canaanite city-state during the Bronze Age, and during the Iron Age it was a royal city in the Kingdom of Israel.

Strategically located at the northern end of the Wadi Ara defile, overlooking the rich Jezreel Valley to the west and guarding the pass through the Carmel Ridge, Megiddo was known to Greeks as “Armageddon.” Even today, many Christians believe this site to be where the final battle between Jesus Christ and the kings of the Earth who go to war against Israel, as outlined in the Book of Revelation, will occur.

Megiddo, or Tel Megiddo, is the site of an ancient city in northern Israel's Jezreel Valley. (CC BY-SA 2.0)

There is no arguing Ben-Shitrit’s chance discovery of the 700-year old bronze ring is of great archaeological value, but this is not the first ancient ring to be unearthed in these parts. In 2012 Israel International News reported that “Archaeologists have discovered a collection of ancient jewelry hidden in a vessel at Tel Megiddo dated from about 1100 BCE, and one of the pieces is an ornate gold ring “without parallel,” according to Tel Aviv University's Professor Israel Finkelstein. Some of this jewelry originated in Egypt and the hoard also included “a number of moon-shaped earrings of common Canaanite origin, as well as many gold items and a number of carnelian beads, common in Egyptian jewelry of the period.”

In an area that has seen so many invasions and wars I suppose it of little surprise that we find so much jewelry buried just beneath the top soil in this region. Seeing the horizon darkened with the spears of 10 thousand of “the other side” seems to have inspired people to quickly bury their valuables beneath their floors in the dream that they might one day return home. One thing was a certainty, if they were captured, the ring would be lost forever.

For his lucky archaeological discovery, and being honest enough to come forward with it, Ben-Shitrit will receive the gift of an IAA good citizenship certificate, according to a Times of Israel report.

Top image: The ring found by gardener Dekel Ben-Shitrit thought to depict St. Nicholas with a bishop's crook. Source: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority

By Ashley Cowie

Amateur Treasure Hunter Will Make Thousands of Dollars from a Medieval Gold Ring

Ancient Origins

An amateur treasure hunter has made an exciting discovery in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The young man unearthed an engraved 20-carat gold ring dating to the medieval period. The find may make the metal detectorist a pretty penny too – estimates suggest that the artifact is worth £8,000 to £10,000 ($10,874-$13,592).

Hull Daily Mail reports the ring was found by Adam Day while he was metal detecting in a farmer’s field in Beverley. He unearthed the gold ring and immediately realized the importance of the discovery. As Mr. Day said:

 “I was shaking when I found it. It was quite close to the surface, not buried deep in the ground. It is engraved with St George and St Catherine and features floral emblems.

Beverley Minster is nearby and it’s likely the ring belonged to a priest from there. It dates back to between 1450 and 1550.” Beverley Minster is recognized as a masterpiece of medieval gothic architecture in England. It is said to be one of the largest parish churches in the UK and it was a major site for supposed miracles and pilgrimages in the Middle Ages.

The ring will be put up for auction with Hanson’s Auctioneers in Derbyshire on January 24. Adam Staples, an expert for the auctioneers suggests that the estimate of £8,000 to £10,000 for the ring may be a little low. He said:

“What Englishman wouldn’t want to own a 15th century ring featuring St George, the Patron Saint of England? It is a superb example of the craftsmanship of the time. Only high-ranking figures such as bishops or nobility would have been able to afford a ring of such high quality featuring fine decorative engraving and faceting. It may well have belonged to a bishop from Beverley Minster and would have been commissioned.”

The ring dates back to the 15th century. (Hull Daily Mail)

The same auctioneers sold a 15th-century sweetheart brooch last summer. According to Hanson’s Auctioneers that artifact was found by a metal detectorist looking near Kirby Muxloe Castle in Leicestershire. Stories have said the brooch was a token of love from William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, to his wife Katherine Neville, who he married in 1462. The brooch was given an estimated price of £6,000-£8,000 ($8,156 - $10,875) but it was sold for £20,800 ($28,275).

This medieval sweetheart brooch was sold for almost double its estimated price. (Hanson’s Auctioneers)

 If the previous sale is anything to go by, than the Medieval ring may also fetch much more than the estimated price, Mr Staples said: “Medieval jewellery commands high prices due to its rarity, quality and rich historical value.”

Mr. Day was sure to ask for the landowner’s permission before he began searching the field with fellow metal detectorist Pete Birkett and The Express reports he will be splitting half of the money from the sale of the 15th century ring with the farmer. Adam Day has been a metal detecting hobbyist for three years. Previous discoveries he’s made include a Bronze Age axe and a Celtic brooch. He considers the Medieval bishop’s ring his best find so far.

Top Image: The ring, engraved with St George, was found in a field near in Yorkshire. Source: Hansons Auctioneers / SWNS.com

By Alicia McDermott

Medieval Ring Found in Robin Hood’s Forest Hideout May Net Finder a Small Fortune

Ancient Origins

An amateur treasure hunter with a metal detector turned up a Medieval, gold ring that was set with a sapphire stone in Sherwood Forest—haunt of the legendary (or real) Robin Hood. Experts have examined the ring and believe it may date to the 14th century.

The amateur, Mark Thompson, 34, had been using an inexpensive detector that he bought on the online auction website Ebay. He is a painter of fork-lifts and had been searching for treasure for just a year and a half, says the Daily Mail.

The ring may net him a small fortune if it truly is worth its estimated maximum value of $87,000 (70,000 British pounds). He detected metal underneath his wand just 20 minutes into his recent session in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. The British Museum is examining the ring with the expectation of formally declaring it treasure.

The British Museum is analyzing the ring and may declare it to be national treasure, though the finder would collect any reward. (Mark Thompson photo)

Online news accounts of the find said Mr. Thompson expected to find scrap metal of no value or coins of little value, but when he turned up the soil he saw the glint of gold.

One side of the ring depicts a baby, possibly the Christ child, and the other side depicts a female saint, both engraved into the gold of the ring. Mr. Thompson reported the find to proper authorities.

“I called my friend who came down to take a look and help see whether there was anything else related nearby,” Thompson told British news outlets. “If it does prove to be as valuable as we think it might be, it would completely change my life. I’m renting at the moment and I’d love to be able to buy a house or move into somewhere more comfortable.”

A regional finds liaison officer, Dot Boughton, said the ring is being examined by the coroner. The coroner may confirm the ring as treasure at an inquest, after which museums will have a chance to display the ring. Mr. Thompson would collect any reward.

Ms. Boughton has written a report, says the Sun, that compares the stone to another that adorns the tomb of William Wylesey, who died in 1374 and who was the archbishop of Canterbury.

The ring is not believed to be contemporaneous with Robin Hood, who, according to legend, operated with his gang out of Sherwood Forest in the 13th century, around the time of King John. It is unknown who Robin Hood truly was or even if he was more than just a legend but a real historical figure.

A statue of Robin Hood at a castle in Nottinghamshire, where the legendary robber was an outlaw in Sherwood Forest. ( Wikimedia Commons photo /Olaf1541)

He differs from other robbers of the time, including Fulk Fitzwarin and Eustace the Monk, who were real people and not just legendary. Legends say Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

One thing all three of these robbers and other fugitives have in common was that they used the king’s private forest reserves for refuge. The forests of Sherwood and Barnsdale, which are rife with old legends, were supposed to have been the kings’ private lands where they could hunt.

Historians think there may have been two historical figures from whom the legend of Robin Hood derives. Other outlaws also possibly took the name, which further confuses the historical record.

 Top image: Experts have valued the ring between $25,000 (20,000 British pounds) and $87,000 (70,000 pounds). The man who detected it, Mark Thompson, will collect any reward associated with the gold ring set with a sapphire stone. (Mark Thompson photo)

By Mark Miller

Stolen Ring Owned by Joan of Arc Finally Returned to France

Ancient Origins

Joan of Arc, also known as the Maid of Orleans (or, in French, la Pucelle) was a military hero of the first half of the 15th century. This French saint, whose feast is celebrated on the anniversary of her death, May 30, led the army of Charles VII in the Hundred Years' War to oust the English from France - when she was only 17 years old. Now, after spending nearly six centuries in England, Joan of Arc’s treasured ring returns to France, thanks to the work of the Villiers family, who will exhibit it at the famous Puy de Fou theme park.
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The ring was stolen by Bishop Cauchon in Rouen when the brave Joan was caught in 1431. When it was taken, Joan shouted at the Bishop “Return it to me!” But the ring was not given back to its owner. Some say that perhaps Joan of Arc confirmed that the ring possessed magical powers.
Cauchon went down in history for having presided over the trial and martyrdom of Joan of Arc, and having been paid by the English. After the robbery, the precious ring was left in the hands of what some people call “Perfidious Albion.”

The ring was stolen from Joan of Arc by Bishop Cauchon before the trial which ended with Joan being sentenced to the stake. (Figaro Magazine/Timeline Auctions)
According to information published in Figaro Magazine, the repatriation of the ring began to take shape on February 24. That day, the lawyer Jacques Trémolet de Villers, who has just published a book about the trial of Joan of Arc, learned that the ring would be auctioned on February 26 in London. After he advised Philippe De Villiers, a politician, businessman, and creator of the Puy du Fou theme park, of the auction, they decided to raise the necessary funds to get the relic back to France. However, the auction house had put a starting price of 19,051 euros (20,984 USD).

"We suspected that the sale would beat all records. […] The Puy du Fou Hope Foundation could reach up to €80,000, but not beyond. Then we turned to potential donors and managed to collect the sum of €350,000," explained Nicolas de Villiers to Le Parisien.

• Speaking of Angels and Saints: The Story of Joan of Arc
• Pope Joan: The Female Pope whose Real Gender was Revealed after she Gave Birth in a Procession
• Marguerite de La Rocque: 16th Century Noblewoman Stranded on the Isle of Demons

The day of the bid, despite the dizzying auction, Nicolas de Villiers took the ring for a total of 376,833 euros (415,063 USD). The ring was a gift that the parents of the unforgettable Joan had made for her on the day of her First Communion in the church of her hometown, Domremy. Thanks to the Villiers family, it will now return to its home country.

Nicolás de Villiers won the precious ring in a recent auction in London. The ring, accompanied by its own reliquary, cost 376,833 euros. (PhotoPQR/« Ouest-France »/Franck Dubray/Timeline Auctions)

Joan of Arc used to wear the ring on the index finger of her left hand. It is forged in brass, decorated with three crosses and is engraved with the initials “JM”. According to legend, Joan had a habit of staring at her ring moments before entering combat.
The Puy du Fou theme park wrote on its official website that it “aims to contribute to the brilliance of France, its history, its wonders, and its achievements.” It states that it was their “duty to end the exile of this symbol that belonged to the greatest heroine of the history of France.”
Nicolás de Villiers told Figaro Magazine that on March 20 a presentation ceremony will be held for the ring and that the relic will be on display to the public later in a special place in the park.

"Joan of Arc dies at the stake", painted in 1843 by German artist Hermann Anton Stilke (1803-1860). Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. (Public Domain) Joan of Arc was eventually condemned to die at the stake, and the ring that her parents had given her for her First Communion spent nearly 600 years in English hands.

Featured image: “Joan at the coronation of Charles VII”, painted in 1854 by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780-1867). Louvre Museum. Source: Public Domain
By: Mariló T. A.
This article was first published in Spanish at http://www.ancient-origins.es and has been translated with permission.