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Ancient gold ring unearthed at grave carries 2,000-year-old secret message
Archaeologists in Thailand have uncovered two ancient gold rings at a burial site in Phetchaburi Province, including one engraved with Brahmi script that appears to carry a message dating back about 2,000 years. The find matters because it could offer fresh evidence about cultural links, literacy and burial practices in the region during the period when the site was in use. The discovery also adds significance to Don Yai Thong, a site only recently identified by researchers.
According to Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, the rings were found in late June alongside human bones at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in western Thailand. The site lies about 80 miles south-west of Bangkok, and the report says the inscription is written in Brahmi, an ancient script used across South and Southeast Asia. The article does not give the full wording of the message, but presents the engraved ring as the most notable part of the discovery.
In short
- Ancient gold rings were found at a Thai burial site.
- One ring bears a 2,000-year-old Brahmi inscription.
- The find may shed light on early regional connections.
Explained simply
Archaeologists in Thailand have uncovered two ancient gold rings at a burial site in western Thailand, with one of them engraved with an inscription dating back roughly 2,000 years. The rings were found alongside human remains at Don Yai Thong, a recently identified archaeological site located about 80 miles south-west of Bangkok in Phetchaburi Province.
The engraved ring bears writing in Brahmi, an ancient script that was used across South and Southeast Asia during historical periods. The rings were excavated by Thailand's Fine Arts Department in late June, and the inscribed ring represents the most significant discovery at the site.
The find could provide important evidence about cultural connections, literacy and burial practices in the region during the period when the site was in use. Since Don Yai Thong was only recently identified, these discoveries may help researchers better understand the area's historical significance and the people who lived there two thousand years ago.