Band of God: Medieval bishop's sapphire unearthed in Scotland

Published on Friday 14 August 2009 22:05

A MEDIEVAL gold ring with a sapphire to invoke pious thoughts, a Neolithic stone axehead and a collection of 14th-century gold florins were among the finds unearthed by treasure hunters in Scotland last year.

The fourth annual report from the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer, published yesterday, shows 86 artefacts were claimed by the Crown before being given to museums and 90 were reported but returned to the finder.

The total of ex gratia awards to finders was 10,590 with individual payments ranging from 10 to 1,250.

The medieval gold ring found in field in Lamington, South Lanarkshire, by tanker driver Gordon Innes, is on display Biggar Museum.

Mr Innes, a member of the Scottish Artefact Recovery Group in Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, found the ring just three inches below ground.

It has been identified as a bishop's consecration ring and would have been buried with him, making the find of major historical interest. It is the only complete-shaped and polished ring of its kind found in Scotland.

The celestial blue sapphires, often from Sri Lanka, were believed to invoke pious thoughts in the wearer and hence were often worn by the clergy.

Tam Ward, archaeologist at Biggar Museum, said: "We are very pleased to have the ring which is so delicate and small, it looks almost as if it could have been made for a woman. It has beautiful detail with chevron-like details engraved on it.

"However, we are a bit annoyed we have not been told the exact spot it was found in as we had hoped to go and excavate there because it could have come from ground ploughed from a grave in a cemetery which would be of great interest to us."

Scotland's biggest ex gratia payment for treasure was 30,000 awarded in 1997 to a ferryman who discovered a Roman sculpture of a lioness in the mud at Cramond, Edinburgh.

Other items recorded in the treasure trove report include a Neolithic stone axehead unearthed in Lockerbie. Often used as a farming tool and in rituals, it is of interest because it is made of Langdale tuff, a Cumbrian stone, pointing to a network of long-distance contacts underpinning prehistoric societies.

Archaeologists say a hoard of 14th-century gold florins discovered in Jedburgh in the Borders is of special significance because the site was close to Roxburgh Castle, which at that time was a royal seat and housed a mint.

Norman McFadyen, the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer, said:

"One of the key events this year has been the publication of the treasure trove code of practice, which sets out the chain of responsibility for the various bodies involved and clarifies the process of determining the appropriate ex gratia award for a particular object."

Professor Ian Ralston, of the school of history, classics and archaeology at Edinburgh University, said publicity surrounding the code of practice had led to an increase in inquiries to the Treasure Trove Unit (TTU) at the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Last year, 100 finds were claimed by the Crown and 132 returned to finders.

CROWN DUES

ANY object found in Scotland can be claimed by the Crown. This applies to all discovered items found by chance, metal detecting or by archaeological excavation. Finders have no ownership rights to any finds they make in Scotland, all of which, with the exception of Victorian and 20th-century coins, must be reported to the Treasure Trove Unit (TTU) at the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh for assessment.