Treasure status for Monmouthshire Bronze Age and gold finds
- Published
The ring was from the late 12th or early 13th Century
Archaeological discoveries in Monmouthshire dating as far back as the 9th Century BC have been declared as treasure.
A hoard of 12 bronze age tools and weapons and three separate finds of medieval gold and silver were declared treasure by the coroner for Gwent.
The items were all discovered by members of the public.
The Bronze Age discovery, to be called Llanddewi Skirrid Hoard, included axes, a spearhead and fragments of swords.
The hoard of 12 bronze tools and weapons could have come from western France
The items, which are almost 3,000 years old, were found by metal detectorists Nicholas and James Mensikov in April 2015 and was away from any known Bronze Age settlement sites.
The sword they unearthed matched up with one commonly found in western France.
David Jones, who owns the land where the father and son found the bronze, said: "It's amazing to think that this land was being farmed 3,000 years ago."
Decorative silver straps such as this were often found on the end of belts in medieval times
Three further discoveries were made by other members of the public.
The first of the medieval finds was a silver strap end, which would have normally formed a decorative piece on the end of the belt, at Goetre Fawr in June 2016.
A gold finger ring, complete with a turquoise stone, from the late 12th or early 13th Century, was then found in September 2016.
Another medieval gold ring was also found, although it was missing a stone.
Three of the four items have been bought by the Abergavenny museum in Monmouthshire.
Rachael Rogers, Monmouthshire museums manager, said: "We are very pleased to be acquiring these important objects for our collections. Finds such as these are continually adding to what we know about how people lived their lives in this part of Wales over time."
This gold ring was missing a stone from the top
- Published26 July 2018
- Published4 October 2018
