Ploughed field find was silver Viking ring

A man who found a dirty piece of metal in a field has discovered he is actually the lucky owner of a silver Viking ring.

The ring was found close to the remains of a medieval church [Credit: BBC]

David Taylor, from County Down, Northern Ireland, discovered a bracelet-shaped object while helping lift stones from a field. His wife thought it was a bull ring and told him to throw it out. A coroner's court has now found the ring to be treasure trove.

Almost 18 months ago, Mr Taylor noticed the strangely-shaped object lying on a stone in his brother-in-law's freshly ploughed field near Kircubbin on the Ards peninsula.

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'Bull ring' was silver Viking ring treasure

A man who found a dirty piece of metal in a field has discovered he is actually the lucky owner of a silver Viking ring.

David Taylor, from County Down, Northern Ireland, discovered a bracelet-shaped object while helping lift stones from a field.

His wife thought it was a bull ring and told him to throw it out.

A coroner's court has now found the ring to be treasure trove.

Almost 18 months ago, Mr Taylor noticed the strangely-shaped object lying on a stone in his brother-in-law's freshly ploughed field near Kircubbin on the Ards peninsula.

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Man finds Viking ring in Northern Ireland field

A man in Northern Ireland says an object his wife mistook for an old bull ring turned out to be a silver Viking ring from between the 10th and 12th centuries.

David Taylor of County Down said he found the object while lifting stones in a field near Kircubbin and his wife told him it was an old bull ring and he should throw it out, the BBC reported Monday.

"I just knew by the shape of it, it was something," Taylor said.

Taylor said experts identified the object as a silver Viking ring from between the 10th and 12th centuries.

University College Cork archaeologist John Sheehan said the ring was found near the ruins of a medieval church and may have been stolen from Viking settlers.

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Pictish burials found at ‘Royal Rhynie’ site

The remains of what could be a member of early Pictish royalty have been discovered as part of an archaeological dig.

The remains found in the grave could be a member of early
Pictish royalty [Credit: University of Aberdeen]

The discovery, by experts from the University of Aberdeen and the University of Chester, is one of the first ever made in the North-East of Scotland and was found in a carefully made sandstone grave which suggests the person was of high status.

The Pictish Kingdoms were some of the most powerful players in post-Roman Britain but understanding of their social and political structure is poor due to a lack of historical records.

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'Early Pictish Royal remains' discovered at Rhynie

The remains found in the grave are now being analysed

The remains of what it is thought could be a member of early Pictish royalty have been discovered during an archaeological dig in Aberdeenshire.

The discovery at Rhynie was made by teams from the universities of Aberdeen and Chester.

The remains were found in a carefully made sandstone grave, which the experts believe suggests the person was of high status.

It is the first time remains of a body have been uncovered at the site.

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Saxon remains to be reburied after dig

Saxon remains found during an archaeological dig at an abbey in Warwickshire are being reburied at a church service later.

Radiocarbon dates for the remains should be known in the next
three months [Credit: Peter Ralley/BBC]

Archaeologists working on a three year dig at Polesworth Abbey found up to 15 ancient burials. The dig has uncovered the pre-Norman abbey and a Saxon church.

Father Philip Wells, who is conducting the service, said it was not clear yet if the remains were those of nuns from the original abbey.

The results of radiocarbon dating on the remains should be known within the next three months.

A team of local volunteers have carried out the dig, supervised by professionals from the Northamptonshire Archaeological team. The work has been paid for by English Heritage.

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Saxon graveyard unearthed in Suffolk

A team of archaeologists has returned to a Suffolk river bank to complete a dig at an early Christian burial site.

The team has returned to the north bank of the River Alde
for a three-week dig [Credit: BBC]

A three-week excavation has begun at Barber's Point near Aldeburgh at a 7th Century Saxon graveyard. The team believes it is one of the first to reveal Christian rather than Pagan burial customs.

New funding has meant they hope to be able to complete work at the site after previous digs in 2004, 2007 and 2010 where 12 graves were discovered.

David Rea was among the volunteers forced to leave the site when funding ended.

"You could clearly see, etched against the wall where we were digging, that there was another grave, but it was the last day so we had to pack up and leave. But I told 'him' we'd be back and here we are and next week we shall be in there."

The team has been able to return because of a £24,000 boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund's Touching The Tide scheme.

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