During excavations in the old part of the city, archaeologists discovered a gold ring with the face of Christ (7 photos)

Not long ago, large-scale excavations were carried out in the city of Kalmar, which gave researchers the opportunity to study its medieval part.





During the work, archaeologists discovered tens of thousands of artifacts, and the main find was a rare gold ring with the image of Jesus Christ.



Kalmar is one of the oldest cities in Sweden. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the largest and strategically important cities in the state, because in addition to everything else, Kalmar was also a major trading hub. Back in 2022, city authorities approved a major project to replace water and sewer pipes, as well as stormwater systems in the Old Town, the historical part of Kalmar, built back in the Middle Ages.





Women's gold ring with an engraved image of Jesus Christ dating from the 15th century

The country has a law on the preservation of cultural heritage, so almost any major excavation work is accompanied by archaeological excavations, especially in such a historical place. First, at the places where the pipes were to be laid, archaeologists carried out their research, and when they were finished, a work team arrived. So in two years, scientists managed to excavate 10 blocks of the Old City. The results of their work are simply amazing, because during this time they discovered dozens of ancient wooden buildings, as well as stone houses with vaulted basements, old streets, wells, etc. And with this they discovered more than 30,000 artifacts dating from 1250 to 1650.



Women's gold ring with an engraved image of Jesus Christ dating from the 15th century

Even if we take into account that archaeologists consider every shard or piece of ceramic to be a find, the figure is still impressive. But the most important and main find was a well-preserved gold ring, on the platform of which the image of Jesus Christ was engraved. The ring is quite small, from which archaeologists concluded that it was a woman’s. According to the national museum, the relic dates back to approximately the 15th century. As scientists suggest, the decoration was most likely lost by accident and was not part of the treasure. As Magnus Stiebeus, the archaeologists' project manager, put it, the decoration was "almost new."



Women's gold ring with an engraved image of Jesus Christ dating from the 15th century

Another interesting find discovered during these excavations was the so-called alsengem, which is a glass amulet named after the Danish island of Als, where they were first discovered. They were worn mainly by travelers and pilgrims. It was believed that alsengems protected the owner from misfortunes while traveling. Unfortunately, only a fragment of the amulet was preserved, but experts were able to approximately recreate the image that was on it.



Alsengem - a glass amulet worn by traveling pilgrims to protect against misfortune

Another interesting find is a large stone with runes and relief animal ornaments. The limestone was originally part of a funerary monument and can be dated back to the early 12th century. Archaeologists also found large quantities of cannonballs, musket and pistol bullets, as well as swords. Excavations in this area are still ongoing. Previously, archaeologists had not had the opportunity to study such a large area of ​​a medieval city, either in Sweden or anywhere else in Europe. Therefore, this is a unique chance for researchers to look deeper into history and better understand how this city developed over the centuries.



12th century stone with runes and animal designs