Detectorist's 'once-in-a-lifetime' treasure find

A metal detectorist who uncovered a rare early medieval silver-gilt finger ring with a runic inscription in a Lincolnshire field has described the experience as "a once-in-a-lifetime" moment.

Rafal Wesolowski, 49, from Boston, unearthed the artefact in a field in Quadring in South Holland in May 2024.

"I didn't know exactly what it was, but I knew immediately it was something special," he said.

Archaeologist Dr Lisa Brundle described it as one of "the most significant" archaeological finds ever recorded in the area.

Wesolowski said he first became interested in metal detecting through his love of history.

"I've always felt drawn to that world, and metal detecting felt like a way to touch real history with my own hands, not just read about it in books."

Recalling the discovery, he said: "You always dream of finding something amazing, but you never truly expect it to happen.

"I remember standing there in the field, holding it in my hand, thinking 'how is it possible that I am the first person to touch this again after more than a thousand years'?"

"For me, the idea that someone over a thousand years ago might have worn this ring, not just as jewellery, but as something meaningful or protective, is incredible."

Wesolowski said he had reported the find to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), and experts from the University of Nottingham had confirmed its early medieval date and importance.

According to the reference in the PAS database, the ring, which features 16 runic characters running from left to right, dates back more than 1,000 years.

"The full meaning of the runes is still a mystery, but specialists think they may include a personal name and the word ring," Wesolowski said.

According to the entry, It forms part of a very small number of known early medieval finger rings with runic inscriptions, including an example from Kingmoor, Cumbria.

Brundle, who is finds liaison officer for PAS at Lincolnshire County Council, said the ring "would have been a treasured possession".

She said the item bore a rare runic inscription, possibly including the personal name Udnan, as identified by experts in Nottingham.

"This places the piece within an exceptionally small group of inscribed early medieval rings known from Britain," she said.

Other artefacts found at the same location by Wesolowski, including a late Anglo‑Saxon buckle, indicated the presence of a previously unknown early medieval archaeological site in the area, Brundle added.

"Together, these discoveries point to a community of considerable status and may even suggest the presence of a literate elite living along the fen‑edge landscape."

Brundle said it was hoped the artefact, which has since been declared as treasure by the Coroner in Lincoln, could be acquired by Lincoln Museum, where it could "enrich our understanding and appreciation of the early medieval past".

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices