Lemuel Lyes, a UK-based Kiwi expatriate and novice metal detectorist, recently uncovered what is believed to be a 3000-year-old ring during a metal-detecting event in Cornwall.
The discovery was made on February 18, after Lyes had spent several hours searching the area. This artefact has attracted the attention of UK authorities, who are now in the process of determining its legal status as ‘treasure’.
Process and Legal Considerations
The future of the ancient ring is currently being assessed through an official process conducted by the UK’s legal system. According to a spokesperson from the United Kingdom Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the artefact has been referred to a coroner to decide if it qualifies as ‘treasure’. If the coroner decides that it is indeed treasure, the ring could be offered to a museum, reflecting the structured approach taken towards archaeological finds within the country.
Time-Travelling Through Jewellery
“It’s the next best thing to time travelling, to hold a beautiful object like that in your hand and be the first to appreciate it in thousands of years,” Lyes addressed.
The discovery of the ring, thought to date back to the late Bronze Age and possibly used as personal adornment by an individual of high status, offers significant insights into ancient jewellery-making techniques and designs. For professionals in the jewellery industry, such finds are of interest due to their potential influence on contemporary design and understanding of historical craftsmanship. Moreover, the incident highlights the legal and procedural framework surrounding the discovery and preservation of artefacts, underlining the importance of following such guidelines in the handling of historical objects.
“If a museum wishes to acquire a treasure find, they pay a reward to the finder and landowner equivalent to the market value of the find,” the spokesperson states.
“The market value is recommended to the Secretary of State by the Treasure Valuation Committee, following the commission of an independent valuation.”
