The British Museum has unveiled an ornate gold necklace and chain discovered by metal detectorists in Warwickshire, UK, in 2019.
The heart-shaped piece is adorned with red and white floral designs that seem to represent the union between King Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
Measuring approximately 5 centimeters, or 2 inches wide, the pendant is decorated with a Tudor rose motif and a pomegranate bush, as well as the inscription “TOVS IORS,” a French play on words meaning “always ”.
The reverse shows large letters H and K, which are believed to refer to the royal couple.
The elaborately designed necklace, which dates to between AD 1509 and 1533, is believed to have C., was quickly manufactured, potentially used by participants in an event or given as a prize.
The discovery of the piece was reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), an organization administered by the British Museum that deals with archaeological discoveries found by the public. In turn, Historic England was contacted to carry out an archaeological excavation of the site.
“This beautiful pendant is an exciting discovery that provides us with a tangible connection to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and enriches our understanding of the Royal Court at the time,” Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said of the find in a statement. .
But despite best efforts, the excavation failed to turn up any additional discoveries.
The piece is now on display by the British Museum after the release of the PAS Annual Report for 2021. Of the 45,581 recorded finds featured in the report, 1,085 are classified as “Treasures.”
To be considered a “treasure” under the 1996 Treasure Act, an item must be a metallic object that has more than 10 percent of its weight made up of precious metal. The find must also be at least 300 years old on the date of discovery.
“It is wonderful to see archeology and metal detecting thriving across the country, helping to uncover treasures that deepen our understanding of our shared national history,” Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts and Heritage, said of the Act. of the Treasury.
Up to 96 percent of the finds in the PAS 2021 report were found by civilians and their metal detectorists, as opposed to archaeologists. Most of the items were found in Gloucestershire, Suffolk and Lincolnshire.
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