Volunteer during archaeological excavation finds 'remarkable' piece of jewelry in Scotland

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During a dig at Burghead fort in Scotland, a volunteer spent weeks digging with no finds. That all changed after 30 days of searching when John Ralph discovered a Pictish ring at the site. 

"The dig was my fifth dig of the season. I had dug for more than 30 days and had found very little of interest," Ralph told Fox News Digital in an email. When he finally found something, Ralph described his emotions as a mix of "relief, disbelief and happiness." 

"Once I found out what I had found, I felt lucky and privileged to have found something so important," Ralph said. 

Volunteer John Ralph came across a rare find during a Scotland dig. (University of Aberdeen)

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Ralph's find turned out to be an ancient Pictish ring that had been at the site, untouched, for more than a thousand years, according to a Sept. 4 news release from the University of Aberdeen. The ring takes a shape similar to that of a kite with a red-colored detail at its center. 

Picts were ancient people who lived in what is now eastern and northeastern Scotland, according to Britannica. Much of their history is unknown with little evidence left behind about their presence, according to the University of Aberdeen. 

Professor Gordon Noble has led excavations of Burghead over the last three years. Ralph, a former engineer and graduate of the University of Aberdeen, became a volunteer at one of the digs after seeing a post on Facebook seeking out individuals to assist. 

"I always had an interest in archaeology and having recently retired and coming out of COVID, I was looking for something interesting to do," Ralph said. "I saw a call on Facebook for volunteers for the dig at Burghead, and since it was the town I was raised in and my sister stays there, I just thought, ‘Why not?’"

Ralph's discovery turned out to be an ancient Pictish ring. (University of Aberdeen)

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Noble considered Ralph's find "truly remarkable," per the news release. 

"There are very few Pictish rings which have ever been discovered and those we do know about usually come from hoards which were placed in the ground deliberately for safekeeping in some way," Noble said, per the press release. "We certainly weren’t expecting to find something like this lying around the floor of what was once a house but that had appeared of low significance so, in typical fashion, we had left work on it until the final day of the dig."

Now, the ring is in the custody of the National Museum of Scotland's Post-excavation Service, where research is being done to learn more about the ancient find. 

"We will now look at the ring, evidence of buildings and other artifacts to consider whether the ring was crafted on the site and who such an important piece of jewelry might have been made for," Noble said, according to the press release. 

There are still many unanswered questions about the find. Further research is being conducted to find out more about the discovery. (University of Aberdeen)

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As for Ralph, he has learned a lot from his time volunteering at archaeological digs, including the challenging physical work that leads to making these discoveries, which isn't always as easy as it may be portrayed. 

"Pictures of archaeologists gently trowelling at the ground can give an impression of easy work, but in truth some aspects of a dig are like extreme gardening and can be physically demanding," Ralph told Fox News Digital. "You are also required to be vigilant for changes of ground patterns, features and artifacts; so a good workout physically and mentally."