By: Staff Writer
June 23, Colombo (LNW):The discovery of the ring embedded with a a ruby or a sapphire links medieval Slovakian church to ancient Sri Lankan gemstone trade.
A rare medieval bishop’s ring discovered at a centuries-old Slovakian castle has been found to contain a Sri Lankan sapphire, revealing an unexpected link between ancient Sri Lanka and medieval Europe’s ecclesiastical elite.
Archaeologists in Slovakia have confirmed that a striking gold ring unearthed at Zvolen Castle in central Slovakia—dating back more than 700 years—features a reddish-purple sapphire that originated from Sri Lanka. The find, recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, underscores Sri Lanka’s longstanding significance in the global gemstone trade, which dates back to Roman times.
The ring, believed to have been worn by a high-ranking bishop, was first discovered in 2001 by a treasure hunter but only came into the hands of archaeologists in March 2023. Led by Noémi Beljak Pažinová from Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, the research team employed advanced non-invasive techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence to analyze the ring’s materials.
They confirmed the ring was crafted from 18-karat gold and held a 2-carat corundum gemstone—either a ruby or a sapphire. Trace element analysis pointed to the gem’s origin being Sri Lanka, a well-known source of high-quality sapphires that were traded along ancient routes stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Middle East and into Europe.
“This gemstone most likely traveled through historical trade routes, possibly via Aleppo or Constantinople,” Beljak Pažinová said. “The corundum’s unique chemical composition matches that of Sri Lankan sapphires, which were prized in antiquity for their clarity and deep color.”
The ring is decorated with lion motifs on either side of the gemstone—symbols of power, protection, and resurrection in Christian iconography. Such rings were not mere ornaments but held deep religious and societal significance. As bishops were required to wear rings as symbols of their office, researchers believe the ring belonged to a prominent ecclesiastical figure.
Despite the ring’s ecclesiastical associations, details of its original owner and how it was lost remain unclear. Zvolen Castle, once a key medieval stronghold, fell into decline in the late 14th century.
The ring was recovered from a residential courtyard within the castle, suggesting it may have been lost during a period of turmoil or abandonment.
This extraordinary discovery not only sheds light on the opulence of medieval European clergy but also highlights Sri Lanka’s historical role in global commerce—particularly in the highly sought-after gemstone trade that connected distant civilizations centuries ago.
