2 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

1,800-Year-Old Gold Ring with ‘Venus the Victorious’ Carving and Carolingian Coins Discovered in France

Archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) have discovered a 1,800-year-old gold ring with a chiseled portrait of Venus the Victorious, a Roman goddess associated with victory in battle, and a handful of coins from a much later period when the Carolingian Empire ruled the region in the town of Pacé (Brittany, France).

The discovery was part of an extensive excavation that uncovered artifacts and settlements spanning the Late Bronze Age to the medieval period.

The ring was found in an “exceptional state of preservation” near the town of Pacé, in Brittany, according to a translated statement from the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP).

The Roman gold ring, dated between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE was discovered along a stretch of a Roman-origin road, studied as part of the excavation. Constructed between the second and fourth centuries CE, this communication route is notable for its structure, which is a layer of quartz gravel covering the natural ground with lateral ditches lining its course. Its extensive use in antiquity is attested to by visible wheel ruts.

The gold ring features a finely chiseled mount and an intaglio crafted from Nicolo, a type of onyx with a bluish surface over a black base. The gemstone features a finely carved representation of Venus Victrix, symbolizing beauty and strength. Such jewelry often served as both personal adornments and seals for Roman elites, signifying status and carrying spiritual significance.

Carolingian coins discovered at the site. Credit: Coline Herbert / INRAP
Carolingian coins discovered at the site. Credit: Coline Herbert / INRAP

In addition to facilitating trade and travel, Roman infrastructure, such as the road where the ring was located, linked rural communities with urban centers.

Archaeologists discovered the remains of a medieval hamlet from the fifth to the tenth centuries next to the Roman road. With its quadrangular plots connected by pathways, this settlement featured homes, pastures, agricultural land, and grain storage silos. The use of wood, earth, and plant-based roofing materials in many of the structures provides information about medieval construction methods.

One particularly remarkable discovery was a cache of twelve Carolingian silver coins from the ninth or tenth century. These coins, discovered in a remarkable condition of preservation, may have been deposited during the Viking Age when Viking raids were putting pressure on the Carolingian Empire. Whether Viking activity was the direct cause of the settlement’s abandonment by the tenth century is still unknown.

Evidence of earlier periods of occupation was also found at the site. Pottery fragments from the Late Bronze Age and terracotta molds used to make bronze were found in pits in the northern sector. These molds, which were probably used to make swords and other weapons, suggest an unidentified workshop. Two tiny enclosures, one of which may have been an Early Iron Age funerary circle, were discovered in another location.

From a Bronze Age settlement to a medieval hamlet and, by the Late Middle Ages, to an area centered on agriculture, this excavation has yielded important insights into the patterns of settlement, agricultural practices, and technological developments over millennia.

INRAP

Cover Image Credit: Emmanuelle Collado / INRAP

Related Articles

Unusual Iron Age Female Grave Found in Pryssgården, Sweden

3 November 2024

3 November 2024

In an Iron Age cemetery in Sweden, archaeologists found a woman’s grave buried with a small needle and an iron...

Teymareh Petroglyphs, One of the World’s Largest Rock Art Collections, at Risk of Disappearing Due to Mining Activities

20 August 2024

20 August 2024

Petroglyphs are among the world’s oldest practiced art forms and are as diverse as the wide-ranging cultures and civilizations that...

Researcher Says There is Similarity Between Mayan and Shu Cultures

12 April 2021

12 April 2021

The similarities between Mayan civilization and Shu culture draw the attention of researchers. As it is known, the Sanxingdui ruins,...

Stunning Roman-looking sandal found deep in the snow in the Norwegian mountains

16 April 2022

16 April 2022

Global warming is leading to the retreat of mountain glaciers. Incredibly well preserved and rare artifacts have emerged from melting...

Amateur divers discover ‘enormously valuable’ hoard of Roman coins

27 September 2021

27 September 2021

Two amateur free divers have found one of the largest collections of Roman coins in Europe off the east coast of Spain. Luis Lens...

Study Reveals Mysterious Avars Origin

1 April 2022

1 April 2022

Ruled much of Central and Eastern Europe for 250 years, the Avars were less well known than Attila’s Huns, but...

An 1800-year-old inscription was discovered in Hadrianaupolis indicating the existence of the Asclepius cult

5 September 2022

5 September 2022

An inscription pointing to the existence of the cult of Asclepius was found in the ancient city of Hadrianaupolis, which...

Oman has recovered an exceptional collection of silver jewelry from a prehistoric grave

7 November 2022

7 November 2022

From a prehistoric grave dating to the 3rd millennium BC in Dahwa, North Batinah, a team of international archaeologists working...

Archaeologists have found an intriguing Iron Age “shrine” in the Yorkshire Wolds

19 September 2021

19 September 2021

Archaeologists have discovered an interesting ancient Iron Age “shrine” in the Yorkshire Wolds, which was marked out by meticulously placed...

The Oldest Semicircular Classroom in the Greek World Unearthed in Sicily

21 April 2025

21 April 2025

In a remarkable archaeological breakthrough in southern Sicily, an international team of researchers has uncovered an extraordinary ancient classroom that...

Roman boat that sank in Mediterranean 1,700 years ago is giving up its archaeological, historical, and gastronomic secrets

8 March 2022

8 March 2022

The merchant vessel, probably at anchor in the Bay of Palma while en route from south-west Spain to Italy, One...

Japan Researchers Uncover Lost Villa Believed to Belong to First Roman Emperor

19 April 2024

19 April 2024

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have discovered a nearly 2,000-year-old building at a site with ancient Roman ruins buried...

Human history in one click: Database with 2,400 prehistoric sites

10 August 2023

10 August 2023

The role of culture in human spread: Digital data collection contains 150 years of research. Human history in one click:...

Relief masks discovered in Turkey’s ancient city of Kastabala

7 January 2022

7 January 2022

In the ancient city of Kastabala (Castabala), which dates back to 500 BC, located in Turkey’s southern province of Osmaniye,...

New Study reveals how England’s ‘White Queen’ worshipped a disembowelled saint at the Chapel of St Erasmus

5 December 2022

5 December 2022

A new study reveals the story of how England’s “White Queen”, Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV, once worshipped at...