(ORDO NEWS) — In the UK, an amateur archaeologist named Andy Bassett, with the help of metal detectors, discovered a seal of the Pope on a plowed field, whose age is supposedly about 700 years old.
According to The Catholic Universe, the find has already passed the mandatory evaluation procedure by experts of the British Museum, after which it was officially registered.
A unique artifact was found in Shropshire. It is noteworthy that it turned out to be a jubilee 1.5 millionth archaeological site, which amateur archaeologists found in Britain. According to the Treasure Act of 1996, such “seekers” must report all findings to the local coroner.
The seal is in good condition. It is made of lead and resembles a coin. Experts believe that the artifact belonged to Pope Innocent IV, whose papacy began in 1243. He used the press for both political and religious purposes.
According to Peter Rivill of the British Museum, the press could end up in Shropshire because the Pope tried to enlist the support of King Henry III in his claims to Sicily.
There is another version according to which the Pope could send a letter with his seal to some rich and influential person. This was practiced in the Middle Ages. A rich man could donate a large amount of money to the Church in exchange for saving his soul. In fact, this was how liberation from purgatory was bought.
“We don’t know to whom exactly he [the Pope] sent a letter,” says Peter Revill. “We only know that this is a lead seal.”
By the way, recently the British Museum and the BBC History Magazine published a list of the 10 most important discoveries of amateur archaeologists over the past 23 years. It includes the Ringer’s golden cup, 2581 coin, known as the Chu Valley treasure, as well as the Staffordshire treasure – the largest treasure of Anglo-Saxon gold.
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