English 
Spanish 
3 min read
2 comments
An exceptional 1800-year-old gold ring has been found in France, accompanied by an impressive trove of ancient coins, medieval pottery and other historical items.
In France, a find archaeological attracts the attention of experts and ancient history enthusiasts. An incredibly well-preserved gold ring, dating from around the second or third century AD, has been uncovered on an old road in the region of Brittany, offering a unique window into the area’s Roman past.
The jewel, which features the image of Venus, Victorious, a Roman goddess associated with victory in battle.
The context of discovery
© Emmanuelle Ah Thon / INRAP
The discovery was made by a team of archaeologists from the IFrench National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), who was carrying out excavations on an 11-acre site.
- Wildfires in Los Angeles! Unbelievable — Honda Motorcycle Survives Fire and Still Runs!
- Elon Musk is the new owner of TikTok? It's possible! Chinese consider selling TikTok to billionaire to avoid ban on the app starting Sunday
- Elon Musk now wants to dominate football! Billionaire reportedly interested in buying Liverpool and turning the English giant into a global Premier League powerhouse
- State shocks drivers by seizing electric motorcycles, saying they put people in danger
The area has proven to be a point of historical interest, with remains of settlements dating back to the Late Bronze Age and extending into the early medieval period.
Researchers suggest that the region was inhabited for more than 2.000 years, with the discoveries providing a complete picture of the evolution of human occupation in Brittany.
The golden ring and its image of Venus
© Emmanuelle Collado / INRAP
The absolute highlight of the excavation is the gold ring, which survived in a “exceptional state of preservationo”, as archaeologists claim.
The engraved image is that of Venus Victrix, or Venus the Victorious, a representation of the Roman goddess associated with imperial power and romantic conquests.
In Ancient Rome, Venus Victrix He was a central figure for Roman generals, who invoked his name before battles, seeking his protection and blessing to ensure victories.
The goddess, often depicted in armor, also shares connections with Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of war and love.
The image of Venus on this ring probably reflects reverence for her as a protector of military power, and the object may have belonged to a Roman or someone living in Britain during the Roman occupation.
The history of Britain and its conquest by the Romans
The discovery of the ring comes at a crucial time in the history of Britain. During the first century BC, the Roman leader Julius Caesar began his conquest of the region, establishing a strong Roman presence in the area.
During this period, an extensive network of roads was built, connecting the different settlements and facilitating trade and transport.
It is possible that the ring was lost by a Roman traveler or someone using the communication routes of the time, remaining on the road for almost two millennia before it was finally found.
The local population of Brittany, over the centuries, reached its peak between the 7th and 8th centuries AD. During this medieval period, the inhabitants developed a solid infrastructure, organizing their land into defined plots for various purposes, such as agriculture, housing and storage.
Archaeologists have discovered remains of a medieval village, including cooking pots, millstones for grinding grain and even charred remains of cereals and legumes.
Other archaeological discoveries in the region
In addition to the gold ring, other intriguing discoveries were made at the excavation site. A cache containing a dozen coins from the Carolingian Empire was found, dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries AD. The coins were buried during a period of great instability in Western Europe, when Vikings were frequently raiding Carolingian territory.
Although the site was abandoned at the same time, it is not known for sure whether the abandonment of the community and the deposition of the coins are directly related to the Viking attacks.
The historical context suggests that the area could have been a victim of the conflicts of that turbulent time.
Look, I've been studying lost areas around the world for years. Did you find it? I don't have a high school degree, but I love these things. True story.
Almost from the time of Christ