Ancient Slovak Castle Unearths 700-Year-Old Gold Ring—Sapphire’s Mysterious Journey from Sri Lanka Revealed!
The Medieval Gold Ring Found By A Treasure Hunter At Slovakia’s Pustý Hrad Castle
According to a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, the medieval ring was first found by a treasure hunter amid the ruins of Pustý hrad Castle in Zvolen, Slovakia, in 2001. In 2023, archaeologists finally got their hands on the ring and proceeded to study it for the first time.
They found that the ring is made of a “thin gold band” adorned with a “reddish purple” gemstone known as a corundum, from which both rubies and sapphires can be formed. (Because sapphires have more of a range of colors than rubies, the archaeologists believe that this purplish stone is a sapphire.) The stone is held in place by “four claws” and there are figures on the ring which appear to depict lions, complete with mane-like fur.
As the study’s authors wrote, the lion imagery on the ring is suggestive of “strength, courage, and royalty.” Lion motifs were also connected to Christianity, as the lion was a symbol of resurrection and victory over evil.
Noémi Beljak PažinováThe ring features representations of two lions, which hints at its Christian origins.
Indeed, researchers suspect that the ring, which is likely from the late 13th or early 14th century, once belonged to a bishop. Similar rings have been found at bishops’ burials, and a ring like this would have been worn in an official capacity, likely as a bishop’s “ring of office.”
“Such rings were far more than decorative items,” the researchers wrote. “The addition of engraved animals on the ring shoulders indicates the influence of medieval iconography and beastly imagery. The wearers used them as symbols of their wealth and societal status and as a spiritual safeguard.”
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