Young Archaeologist’s First Dig Uncovers Mysterious Medieval Gold Artifact That Could Rewrite History
A similar object was uncovered in the area by a metal detectorist a few years ago, and while that one is believed to be a pin, the exact nature of Souza’s recent find remains shrouded in mystery.
Archaeology Student Yara Souza Makes A Discovery 90 Minutes Into Her Very First Dig
Newcastle UniversityThe newly-unearthed gold object is approximately 1,100 years old, and its exact purpose remains shrouded in mystery.
The chance to participate in a dig was a long time coming for Yara Souza. Originally from Orlando, Florida, she was unable to travel for last year’s excavations at the Birdoswald Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall in northern England due to illness.
But surely this year’s discovery more than made up for last year’s disappointment. Within 90 minutes of starting the dig, Souza found a small, gold relic.
“I couldn’t believe I’d found something so quickly into my first ever excavation,” Souza said in a statement from Newcastle University. “It was actually quite overwhelming. After I’d had to miss Birdoswald last year, it was amazing to discover something that hasn’t been seen for more than a thousand years, I was really geeking out over it!”
The artifact is approximately four centimeters long and features a decorative swirl pattern. It has a handle, or finial, at one end and a bulb on the other. It’s believed to date back about 1,100 years.
This rare find is made of gold, a material reserved for high-status objects at the time. Archaeologists involved with the dig believe that the artifact may have had a religious or ceremonial purpose.
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