Ancient gold ring unearthed at grave carries 2,000-year-old secret message

Archaeologists recently uncovered two gold rings at an ancient burial site in Thailand — one of them engraved with an intriguing message that dates back 2,000 years.

The rings were found at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in the Phetchaburi Province in late June, The Associated Press reported.

Thailand's Fine Arts Department said the rings were buried alongside human bones.

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Located in western Thailand, Don Yai Thong is about 80 miles southwest of Bangkok and was only recently identified as an archaeological site.

Residents found fragments of ancient bronze drums in a rice field earlier this year, prompting archaeologists to excavate the site.

A picture of one ring shows a short inscription etched into its oval face, which experts believe is written in the ancient Indian Brahmi script.

Experts believe the script reads "pusarakhitasa," meaning "the one protected by Pushya."

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Pushya is a lunar constellation in ancient Indian astronomy long associated with good fortune and protection, suggesting the inscription may have been intended as a blessing.

The other gold ring is similarly well-preserved, but does not have any pattern.

Experts believe the rings' owner may have belonged to the Vaishya class, which was traditionally associated with merchants and traders in ancient India's caste system.

The rings are among a host of discoveries at the site, including eight human skeletons, bronze and gold jewelry, pottery and other artifacts.

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The grave goods suggest the deceased were members of society's upper class.

Research at the archaeological site will continue, officials said, and the excavation is expected to wrap up some time in July.

Eventually, the artifacts will be put on public display, the AP reported.

The discovery follows other archaeological excavations that have uncovered ancient gold treasures across the world.

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In February, Panamanian officials announced archaeologists had unearthed a more than 1,000-year-old tomb filled with gold artifacts, finely crafted ceramics and other funerary offerings at the El Caño archaeological site.

In May, Egyptian archaeologists uncovered a cache of ancient artifacts at the biblical city of Heliopolis, also known as On.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.