An American archaeology student discovered a rare piece of 9th-century gold during her first excavation in the United Kingdom.
Yara Souza, from Orlando, Florida, studies at Newcastle University. She made the find in July at an excavation in Redesdale, Northumberland, just 90 minutes into her first dig, the university reported.
Souza said she was astonished to find something so quickly. After missing the Birdoswald Roman Fort excavation last year, she described the experience as particularly rewarding.
The gold object measures around 1.5 inches and features a decorative finial at one end. Archaeologists found it near Dere Street, a Roman road linking York and Edinburgh. People continued to use the route after the Roman Empire fell, and it now forms part of the modern A68 highway.
Newcastle University students worked on the site with archaeologists from North East Museums. They investigated the area after a similar object appeared there by chance in 2021.
Professor James Gerrard called the discovery “an exciting find of exceptional quality.” He said Dere Street remained an important route long after Roman times, and the find suggests that high-status individuals travelled along it.
Gold symbolised wealth and status, so the object likely belonged to someone elite. Experts believe both Souza’s find and the 2021 discovery may have served religious or ceremonial purposes. Gerrard added that someone may have deliberately buried the objects.
Researchers will analyse the piece further, and it could eventually go on display at a local museum.
