800-year-old ring is full of mystery

800-year-old ring is full of mystery
Jul 15 2005
By Duncan Gibbons

icCoventry

AN 800-YEAR-OLD mystical ring unearthed in Warwickshire goes
on public display for the first time tomorrow.

The precious gold and garnet band features a mysterious
cryptic message, written in olde worlde French which has
archaeology experts baffled.

It appears to say the words “Je suis une fleur” (I am a
flower) and “amour” (love) but some of letters of the
inscription are reversed and turned upside down.

Boffins from the British Museum believe it could be a coded
token of affection between two lovers, or even a medieval
spell.

People will be able to see and decide for themselves when the
ring goes on indefinite display at the Warwickshire Museum, in
Market Place, Warwick, from tomorrow.

Sara Wear, keeper of archaeology at the museum, said it was a
great find.

She said: “We are incredibly lucky to have this rare find on
display, especially as it coincides with the launch of the
sixth Harry Potter book. One day we may be able to unlock its
magical secrets.”

She said the ring was in excellent condition as gold does not
tarnish, although there is a slight kink along one of the
edges.

The ring was found by an amateur treasure-hunter using a metal
detector in a farmer’s field in Wixford, near Alcester, back
in 2002.

It was bought for the museum for a secret four-figure sum with
the help of a grant from the National Art Collections Fund.