Bronze Age gold rings of a high-status person found in Wales

Two gold rings, possibly used as earrings or to hold hair in place, have been found in Rosset, Wrexham, Wales. Archaeologists say the rings date back 3,000 years to the Bronze Age.

The person who wore the rings was most likely wealthy or had status in the community in some other way, says ITV News. Even to this day, jewelry can be indicative of some level of status. For example a gold signet ring or ‘gentleman’s ring’ is often seen on the finger of Charles, Prince of Wales and future king of the United Kingdom. Beatrice Behlen, senior curator of fashion and decorative arts at the Museum of London, told Bloomberg that signet rings became popular with the rise of the Middle Class, “Members of the middle class would not have a coat of arms, so having a signet ring would be a prominent sign to show that you are of a higher class.” she said in an interview with Bloomberg. Although these are not finger rings and are very old, the wearing of any jewelery would have shown high status.

Archaeologists are uncertain whether the gold rings were used as earrings or to hold locks of hair in place. ‘Lock rings,’ as hair locks are called, have been found in Wales in Pembrokeshire, Conwy, Gaerwen, Newport, Anglesey and the Great Orme.

ITV describes the concentric-ring pattern on the locks as a ‘coastal pattern’ that suggests trade and communication between Ireland and Wales.