Medieval gold ring found in Tønsberg

An archaeologist working alone in the historic center of Tønsberg, Norway, discovered a medieval gold ring with elaborate decoration and a blue oval gem set in the middle. Only 63 other gold rings from the Middle Ages are in the joint database of the Norwegian university museums collections, and it’s been 15 years since a gold ring from the period was found in Tønsberg. This example is exceptional for the intricacy of its design and high quality of craftsmanship.

Built in the shadow of a royal castle complex, Tønsberg was an important city in the Middle Ages. Royalty, nobility and high clergy all visited there; the kind of people who could afford such expensive jewelry,

Archaeologist Linda Åsheim from Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) was working on the site in conjunction with the city’s stormwater management and street drainage works. Because the construction zone is located inside the cultural heritage site of Tønsberg Medieval Town, the works legally require archaeological supervision, and over the past two seasons of excavation, NIKU archaeologists have uncovered the remains of medieval houses, a street, a building that burned down but the roof is preserved and a bulwark.

She unearthed the ring 2.8 inches deep into a cultivation layer that has not been dated, but a spruce twig the layer right above it was dated to 1167-1269. The spirals at the top of the ring are typical of examples made from the 9th through the 11th centuries, and the combination of granulation and filigree techniques was introduced to Norway from the Byzantine Empire via the Carolingian Dynasty.

The ring is petite, about 50-55 mm along its inner circumference (US ring size 5.25-7.25), so it likely belonged to a woman. The blue gem in the center is probably not a stone, but rather a smooth piece of glass in a dark blue that makes it look like a sapphire. This may have been an intentional imitation to make it look like an authentic sapphire ring. In the Middle Ages, sapphires symbolized divinity, purity and virtue. They were worn by clergy to represent sanctity and their connection to Heaven. Sapphires were worn by royalty for their perceived heavenly protective powers that would keep the wearer safe from harm and illness.

* This article was originally published here