Or a symbol of eternal ownership
Posted on 07/16/2005 12:19:04 AM PDT by nickcarraway
AN 800-YEAR-OLD mystical ring unearthed in Warwickshire goes on public display for the first time tomorrow.
The precious gold and garnet band features a mysterious cryptic message, written in olde worlde French which has archaeology experts baffled.
It appears to say the words "Je suis une fleur" (I am a flower) and "amour" (love) but some of letters of the inscription are reversed and turned upside down.
Boffins from the British Museum believe it could be a coded token of affection between two lovers, or even a medieval spell.
People will be able to see and decide for themselves when the ring goes on indefinite display at the Warwickshire Museum, in Market Place, Warwick, from tomorrow.
Sara Wear, keeper of archaeology at the museum, said it was a great find.
She said: "We are incredibly lucky to have this rare find on display, especially as it coincides with the launch of the sixth Harry Potter book. One day we may be able to unlock its magical secrets."
She said the ring was in excellent condition as gold does not tarnish, although there is a slight kink along one of the edges.
The ring was found by an amateur treasure-hunter using a metal detector in a farmer's field in Wixford, near Alcester, back in 2002.
It was bought for the museum for a secret four-figure sum with the help of a grant from the National Art Collections Fund.
It is how the date a lot of non-organic stuff, by dating the surrounding organic matter, or by relying on geological dating (by dating the corresponding layer of earth that the artifacts were found).
If you manage to find a pile of crap 1000 years old, and stick your ring in it, and manage to bury that pile of crap in an environment consistent with its age so that it would be difficult to detect that the pile of crap had been tampered with, you'd be pretty skilled.
In other words, your argument makes no sense.
Yea, someone still wants to play! See my post 17.
Wonderful!
Saw it after I posted my last response.
Or a symbol of eternal ownership
I know I'm being difficult, but really. Unless they recovered it from a grave or archeological dig, I'm skeptical, and even then it seems it would be a range of dates. And I point out the lack of explanation in the article.
Ditto to all of that ;)
EXACTLY!! Or it could mean absolutely nothing. Maybe someone got an engraving tool for Christmas and they decided to practice on this ring. Maybe this was Cracker Jack's first attempt at prizes, and they just didn't get it right the first time.
Giving it a “magical” tag will help with the publicity angle.
Are they sure the inscription isn't: "Klaatu Barado Nicto"
Probably a graduate of the liberal's public school system.
On the inside it says, "made in China."
There are several examples of engravers, artists, stonecutters etc. making mistakes when copying script – even hieroglyphics. Nothing really unusual. “Free” schools have been around for a long time.
Oh my god! I said it! Monkeys are flying out my butt!!!
Somehow I don't think Sauron would have the sentiment "I am a flower" engraved on the one ring. :-D
King Alberich, please call the office.
Maybe if you press the backward lettering in wax it will read left to right
It is magic! Read it backwards for the hidden message – like the old LPs from the 60’s!
From someone who searches the desert for artifact, not all of it is 1000 yrs buried. Erosion happens.
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