Yair Whiteson, 13, happened upon the ring while hiking with his father on Mount Carmel in Israel.
Israel Antiquities AuthorityAthena (or Minerva) is the goddess of war, military strategy, and wisdom.
During a recent hike with his father on Mount Carmel in Israel, 13-year-old Yair Whiteson kept his eyes on the ground. He was interested in collecting fossils and rocks, and hoped to bring home some new specimens. Instead, something else caught Whiteson’s eye as they hiked past an ancient quarry: an 1,800-year-old ring depicting the Roman goddess Minerva.
Whiteson picked up the object, which has now been verified by the Israel Antiquities Authority. Experts were astounded by the “beautiful ring” which was “preserved in its entirety.”
Discovering The Ring On Mount Carmel
According to a Facebook post from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), 13-year-old Yair Whiteson was hiking with his father on Mount Carmel when he first noticed the ring near an ancient quarry.
“I am curious about fossils and rocks and love to collect them,” Whiteson told the IAA. “While hiking, I noticed a small green item and picked it up. It was corroded, and at first, I thought it was just a rusty bolt. I thought about heating it, but then, fortunately, I understood it was a ring.”
Israel Antiquities AuthorityThe ring found by Whiteson, which depicts the goddess Minerva.
Whiteson brought the ring home, where he gave it a closer look. He noticed that it appeared to be engraved with an image which “at first glance” Whiteson thought might be a warrior.
He and his family contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority, who notified the National Treasures Department. The ring was then closely examined by experts, who determined that it depicted Minerva, the Roman goddess of war.
The Story Behind The Ring Found On Mount Carmel
“On this beautiful ring, preserved in its entirety, is the image of a helmeted naked figure. In one hand she holds a shield, and a spear in the other,” Nir Distelfeld, Inspector at the IAA’s Theft Prevention Unit, and Dr. Eitan Klein, Deputy Director of the Theft Prevention Unit, explained in the Facebook post.
The experts continued: “Yair’s identification of the figure as a warrior is very close to reality. The figure is — apparently, the goddess Minerva from Roman mythology, known also as Athena in Greek mythology. This goddess, who was very popular during the Roman period in the Land of Israel, was considered, among other things, as the goddess of war and military strategy, and also as the goddess of wisdom.”
Israel Antiquities AuthorityYair Whiteson and his family notified the IAA about the ring, which was determined to depict the goddess Minerva.
According to the researchers, the small ring seems to be made out of bronze. It probably belonged to a girl or a woman who lived during the Late Roman Period (2nd-3rd century C.E.).
The location where Whiteson found the ring might offer a hint about its former owner. As the researchers noted, it was found near an ancient quarry, which in turn is located near a Roman-era farmstead and two burial caves.
“The ring may have belonged to a woman who lived on this farm,” Distelfeld and Klein said. “Or, it might have fallen from a quarry worker, or it may have been a burial offering from these nearby graves. There are many possibilities.”
The ring offers a hint at life during this era, and Yair Whiteson has been commended for finding the ring and notifying authorities. According to the IAA, he received “a commendation for good citizenship.”
After reading about the teenager who stumbled across an 1,800-year-old ring while on a hike, discover the stories behind some of mythology’s most fascinating deities. Or, go inside the debate over where Jesus’ tomb is located in Israel.
