Martin Wainwright
Friday August 27, 2004
The Guardian (UK)
The biggest Viking gold arm ring ever found in Britain has been discovered in a builder's attic in York.
Archaeologists said they were amazed by the solid gold ornament, weighing 325gm (11.5oz) which was found by the man's family after his death.
Viking rings have been discovered throughout the Norsemen's empire, but most of them are silver. Only one other gold one, considerably smaller, has been found in Britain.
"These rings would have certainly belonged to someone extremely important," said Simon Holmes of the York shire Museum. "If you're taking that amount of precious metal out of the currency pool and wearing it as an ornament, that says something about your status."
A York inquest declared the ring treasure trove, and therefore crown property.
The builder's son and daughter, who called the museum after finding the ring in the attic, said their father had had a habit of hoarding things he found during his work.
The family will be compensated for ring, which they hope will go on display in York.
Several years ago I spent a summer in York. I was in heaven with their archeology, their lore, and their people. I'd go back in a second
But I think the the mother load of antique finds has on PBS "Antique Roadshow". A women brought in a several hundred year old Venetian helmet that she happened to find under the eves of her grandfathers attic, a grandfather who was stationed during WWII in Italy. It was valued at over 3 mill.
I wrote the show asking about the possibilities of stolen antiquities and their responsibilities but never got a reply.