A 12-year-old boy found a gold bracelet: the discovery turned out to be a rarity
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When going for a routine walk with the dog, 12-year-old Rowan Brannan and his mother Amanda did not expect this day to become a memorable one. Not far from the town of Pagham in Sussex, UK, a boy found an unremarkable strip of metal in a field. Despite his mother’s skepticism, the young “archaeologist” was convinced that it was a gold bracelet.
Upon returning home, Rowan began looking for all sorts of ways to confirm the value of his discovery. After studying methods for determining the authenticity of gold, the boy realized that the metal object met all the criteria on the checklist. However, neither he nor his mother understood what treasure had fallen into their hands.
In the photo: 12-year-old Rowan Brannan and his mother Amanda.
Soon, a hairdresser who mentioned her hobby of metal detecting came to the family’s house. Rowan seized the opportunity to show her what he had recently discovered. The woman was intrigued by it, so she sent a photo of the bracelet to the leader of a group of people passionate about finding rarities. He recommended contacting specialists who deal with such items.
The analysis and evaluation process took more than a year. The British Museum was involved in the examination and detailed study of the bracelet. The result of the research amazed everyone: Rowan discovered a gold Roman bracelet dating back to the 1st century AD!
In the photo: the gold bracelet, 8.1 mm wide and 71.3 mm long, adorned with an intricate pattern applied over five parallel stripes.
The bracelet, known as the armilla, was awarded for valorous service during the Roman Empire times. At that time, such awards were considered prestigious and were worn with great pride. Experts believe that gold specimens are rare compared to armillas made from copper alloy. Most likely, they were awarded to soldiers of the highest rank.
After the assessment procedure, Rowan was informed that this was an “exceptionally rare discovery”, especially considering it was discovered accidentally while walking the dog. Amanda Brannan said that her son constantly picks up all sorts of trinkets from the ground despite her prohibitions. And this time the boy did not listen, because he was convinced that the bracelet was valuable.
In the photo: Rowan Brannan and the treasure he found.
Rowan’s amazing discovery is a reminder that treasure can be found in the most unexpected places. The gold Roman bracelet not only opens a window to the past, but also inspires the younger generation to study history. If you are interested in similar stories, read the article: 14th century gold coins: one of the largest treasures in the history of the Czech Republic has been found!
