A PAIR of silver artefacts found in fields near Winchester could be added to the city’s museum collection.
An inquest ruled a silver key and a silver hawk ring, or vervel, both found near Micheldever were officially treasure as they were more than 10 per cent precious metal and at least 300 years old.
The key was found by Charles Prewitt on February 5, 2011, on land owned by Adrian Dixon.
It is 95 per cent silver and one per cent gold and is thought to be from either the late Roman or early medieval period.
Rob Webley, finds liaison officer for Winchester Museums Service, said: “The British Museum has analysed the key and it believes it is from one of these periods but it cannot commit to which one.”
The ring was dated between 1604-1637 and belonged to William Wollascott of Shinfelde, near Reading, according to an inscription.
Both items are still to be valued but Mr Webley said the museum service had expressed in interest in displaying them.
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