Rusty Screw Found in Quarry... Turns Out to Be an 1800-Year-Old Artifact Ring

"Ring Depicting Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom"

A 13-year-old Israeli boy hiking near a quarry with his father has attracted attention after discovering a ring estimated to have been made about 1,800 years ago.

A bronze ring estimated to have been made 1,800 years ago. [Image source=Israel Antiquities Authority]

According to foreign media including the New York Post on the 21st (local time), Yair Whitson recently found a small green object on the ground while passing near an ancient quarry in Mount Carmel National Park in Haifa, Israel, with his father. Yair, who was usually curious about fossils and the like, took a closer look. He recalled, "Because it was corroded, at first I thought it was a rusty screw (nut). I was considering melting the small green object with heat, but fortunately, I realized it was a ring."

After bringing it home and examining the ring, he identified that the ring was engraved with a warrior pattern. He immediately contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) to report this. According to the IAA's appraisal, the ring was made of bronze about 1,800 years ago.

The experts who conducted the appraisal explained that the ring's design depicted Minerva from Roman mythology, also known as the Greek goddess Athena. The expert said, "This beautiful ring is fully preserved, and it depicted a nude figure wearing a helmet," adding, "One hand holds a shield, and the other holds a spear." They further noted, "Minerva is known as the goddess of war, military strategy, and wisdom, and was a very popular figure in Israel."

[Image source=Israel Antiquities Authority]

The original owner of the ring is unclear. However, experts speculate that the ring either belonged to a woman living on a Roman farm around Mount Carmel or to a quarry worker who lost the ring while working. There is also a possibility that it was a funerary offering dedicated to a tomb near the ancient site.

Yair, who reported the ring, received a 'Good Citizen' award along with his family. Overseas netizens responded with comments such as "The value of the ring cannot be measured astronomically," "If I had seen the ring, I would have just passed by," and "The boy's keen eyesight is amazing."