Rare silver ring unearthed near site of Hallaton hoard

[Kev]

Tuesday, August 07, 2012
A rare silver ring dedicated to the bloodthirsty Celtic god Totatis has been unearthed near the site of the Hallaton hoard of Roman and Iron Age coins.

It was discovered in a field in south Leicestershire by metal detectorist Bill Martin.
Now museum chiefs are hoping they will be able to buy the ring and put it on display alongside the 5,000 gold and silver coins and a rare Roman cavalry helmet – found at Hallaton more than a decade ago – and now on display at Harborough Museum.

The ring, which dates from 2nd or 3rd centuries AD – the Hallaton treasure is dated from the 1st century AD – was yesterday declared treasure by coroner Catherine Mason during a short inquest at Leicester Town Hall.

Mr Martin told the hearing he unearthed the find while on a visit to the area with other members of the Bloxwich Research and Metal Detector Club, from the West Midlands.

Mr Martin, 63, from Wolverhampton, who has been a metal detectorist for 10 years: "It is a site we visit a few times a year and four of us had gathered to see what we could find in March.

"I had previously discovered a silver Celtic coin there.

"I was searching in the same area and my metal detector registered there was an item below the surface. I uncovered it but didn't know what it was."

He said they referred it to the group's experts who identified the inscription "TOT".

"We found it referred to the deity Totatis, which had a following in the East Midlands in Roman times."

Mrs Mason said: "This is a fascinating story. I was intrigued to find out details behind the ring. It has two grooves around the circumference with the letters TOT inscribed on it.

"At first I thought the letters were IOI. But the British Museum said the letters would have linked into the grooves so it would read TOT both ways, to the wearer and to anyone they would meet."

Mrs Mason declared the ring to be treasure and said the value of the artefact, which is yet to be assessed by experts at the British Museum, would be divided between Mr Martin and the landowner.

She said she did not want the exact location of the find to be revealed to prevent hordes of metal-hunters on the land.

Totatis ring expert Adam Daubney, of Lincolnshire County Council, is compiling a survey on them saying the vast majority are found in Lincolnshire.

He said: "It is great to see another example turn up within the boundaries of the Corieltavi tribe. This makes it the 74th example on my database."

A Leicestershire County Council spokesman said: "We are hoping to acquire the ring for display at Harborough Museum as it is from near the Hallaton hoard site.

"The ring is inscribed 'TOT' which is thought to stand for the god Totatis. These rings date to the Roman period and are only found in the East Midlands, the same distribution as Corieltauvian Iron Age coins.

"It's probable Totatis was worshipped at Hallaton as he was one of the main deities and is often equated with Roman god Mars."

The Roman poet Lucan said devotees indulged in human sacrifice, plunging victims head first into a vat of liquid until they drowned.

[Kev]

the ring is now added

[Geordie-Wolf]

intersting post thanks for showing