‘Unparalleled discovery’: Gold Roman ring unearthed by amateur metal detectorist

The "extraordinary" gold ring, which dates back to Roman times, was found by an amateur metal detectorist. (South West Heritage Trust via CNN Newsource)

An amateur metal detectorist unearthed an “extraordinary” gold ring dating back to Roman times in a field in Somerset, south-west England.

Kevin Minto, a trucker and former soldier, made the amazing discovery while exploring the patch of land near Ilminster.

The ring has now been acquired by a the South West Heritage Trust and will eventually go on display at The Museum of Somerset.

Unusually large and beautifully crafted, the ring weighs 48 grams (1.7 ounces). The focal point is a gemstone engraved with an image of the goddess Victory on a two-horse chariot.

Minto, 68, who found the ring in 2018, told CNN that it took “some time for the discovery to sink in.” He explained that he had discovered a hoard of Roman coins in the same field a year earlier and had returned several times to the area, as part of a group of military veterans involved in metal detecting.

“It’s every detectorist’s dream to find a hoard,” he said of his original discovery of the coins. He later found a lead-lined coffin in the same area and eventually the impressive ring.

Under British law, metal detectorists are legally obliged to report discovered “treasure” to their local finds liaison officer and a coroner will then hold an inquest.

National or local museums can apply to acquire the item for the benefit of the public. The process is managed by the British Museum and once the acquisition has gone through, the “reward” – or proceeds – are usually split between the finder and the landowner.

This is what happened in the case of the ring and the coins. Minto said that he split his half of the reward with his “treasure hunting pal” but still had enough to pay off his mortgage after taking home just over £19,500 (US$26,200).

“It’s a bit unbelievable,” he said. “It wasn’t until I went to the British Museum and saw it all laid out there with the coins that it really sunk in. It’s a unique ring to Britain – there isn’t another one like it.”

He explained that for him, part of the appeal of metal detecting is being able to switch off from everything else. “When you do find something, your heart races. You never know what it is until you turn the soil over and find the item you found,” he said.

The ring has been acquired by the South West Heritage Trust. It is an “extraordinary” and “unparalleled discovery” for Britain, according to a press release issued this week by the trust, which raised £78,010 (about $105,000) to acquire the ring, together with the coins found by Minto. The money they paid was then divided equally between the landowner and Minto, who split his part with his friend.

Amal Khreisheh, senior curator at South West Heritage Trust, said in the press release that the find “sheds light on how South Somerset’s Roman inhabitants navigated a period of unrest from 286–296.”

She described the ring as “spectacular,” adding: “It is likely the ring was buried shortly after, in 297, as part of a hoard including coins, lead and pottery objects.”

Speaking to CNN, she added: “We think it belonged to somebody who was wealthy, so perhaps somebody involved in the local administration of the region or perhaps someone who had a farming estate in south Somerset, which was quite a wealthy area in this period. There were lots of villas and garden estates and it had the Fosse Way (a Roman road) going through it, so there was lots of trade.”

The ring and the coins, which will eventually be displayed at The Museum of Somerset, are currently being shown to local school children as a part of a community engagement program.

After a visit to one primary school, Khreisheh said: “The ring is such a stunning object that the children really enjoyed being able to hold it and have a look at some of the coins in detail. They’ve been speculating about who wore it and why it was buried, which has been really lovely.