A metal detectorist who discovered a rare early medieval silver-gilt finger ring with a runic inscription in a field in Lincolnshire described the experience as “a once-in-a-lifetime moment”.
Rafal Wesolowski, 49, from Boston, unearthed the artifact in a field in Quadring, South Holland, in May 2024.
“I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I knew right away it was special,” he said.
The archaeologist Dr. Lisa Brundle described it as one of the “most significant” archaeological finds ever recorded in the area.
The find was reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme and has since been declared treasure [Lincolnshire County Council]
Wesolowski said his interest in metal detecting was sparked by his love of history.
“I’ve always been drawn to this world, and searching for metal felt like a way to touch real history with my own hands and not just read about it in books.”
Recalling the discovery, he said: “You always dream of finding something amazing, but you never really expect it to happen.”
“I remember standing there in the field, holding it in my hand, and thinking, ‘How is it possible that I’m the first person to touch it again in more than a thousand years?'”
“To me, the idea that someone could have worn this ring over a thousand years ago, not just as jewelry but as something meaningful or protective, is incredible.”
“Still a mystery”
Wesolowski said he reported the find to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and experts from the University of Nottingham confirmed its early medieval date and significance.
According to the reference in the PAS database, the ring, which has 16 runic marks running from left to right, is more than 1,000 years old.
“The full meaning of the runes is still a mystery, but experts believe they may contain a personal name and the word ring,” Wesolowski said.
According to the entry, it is part of a very small number of known early medieval finger rings with runic inscriptions, including an example from Kingmoor, Cumbria.
Dr. Lisa Brundle said the artefact was part of an exceptionally small group of inscribed early medieval rings known from Britain [Lisa Brundle]
Brundle, who is PAS liaison officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said the ring “would have been a prized possession”.
She said the item bore a rare runic inscription which may have included the personal name Udnan, as identified by experts in Nottingham.
“This makes the piece one of an exceptionally small group of inscribed early medieval rings known from Great Britain,” she said.
Other artifacts Wesolowski found at the same site, including a late Anglo-Saxon buckle, suggested the presence of a previously unknown early medieval archaeological site in the area, Brundle added.
“Taken together, these discoveries suggest a community of considerable status and may even indicate the presence of an educated elite living along the moorland.”
Brundle said it was hoped the artefact, now declared treasure by the Lincoln coroner, could be acquired by the Lincoln Museum where it could “enrich our understanding and appreciation of the early medieval past”.
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