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.