11 January 2012
The Winding House is thrilled to have recently acquired a 2000 year old Roman silver finger-ring, which was found on Cefn Brithdir in the Darran Valley.
The ring was found by a metal detectorist earlier this year. Realising straight away that it was possibly made of silver and over 200 years old, thus making it officially "treasure", the gentleman went through all the correct legal channels necessary under the Treasure Act and contacted the Finds Officer, Portable Antiquities Scheme.
The ring was passed to the National Museum in Cardiff which identified it as a typical Roman silver finger ring from the 1st or 2nd Century AD, although its gemstone is missing.
It was declared to be treasure trove and placed in the care of the British Museum who then offered the ring to the Winding House, as it was discovered within the boundaries of Caerphilly County Borough.
The ring was purchased by the Winding House Friends and Volunteers through donations made by members of the public.
Museums and Heritage Officer, Emma Wilson stated, "We are very pleased and excited to have acquired the ring for the Winding House collection."
She continued, "We don't of course know who the ring belonged to - whether it was a Roman soldier marching across Cefn Brithdir, or perhaps was worn by a settler in the area. We have plans to involve local schoolchildren in a creative writing exercise to come up with their own suggestions."
Delighted staff collected the ring from the British Museum in late Novemeber and have now put it on display in the West Gallery of the Winding House.
For more information go to the Winding House website.
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