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A geography teacher was tidying up an overgrown garden at his home in Coventry when he came across a rock with mysterious slits. Intrigued, he sent photos to a local archaeologist and was surprised to learn that the markings were made more than 1,600 years ago and that the artifact was museum-worthy.
The rectangular sandstone rock that Graham the Elder had discovered was inscribed with Ogham, an alphabet used in the early medieval period primarily to write the Irish language.
Before the people of Ireland began to use manuscripts made of parchment, they used the Ogam writing system consisting of parallel lines in groups on materials such as stone. Rare examples of such stones offer insight into the Irish language before the use of the Latin insular script.
Senior, 55, said: “I was just clearing a flower bed of weeds and stones when I saw this thing and I thought this is not natural, this is not an animal scratch. It couldn’t have been more than four or five inches below the surface.
He washed it and consulted a relative who was an archaeologist, who suggested he contact the Portable Antiquities Scheme, which encourages the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public.
Theresa Gilmore, archaeologist and Finds Liaison Officer for Staffordshire and the West Midlands, based at Birmingham Museums, said: “This is an amazing find. The beauty of the portable antiques scheme is that people find things that continue to rewrite our history.
“This particular find has given us a new insight into early medieval activity in Coventry that we still need to understand. Every find like this helps us complete our puzzle and gives us a little more information.
When Senior sent her some photos, she immediately saw its potential. She contacted Catherine Forsyth, Professor of Celtic Studies at the University of Glasgow, who confirmed that it was an early-style Ogham script, most likely dating from the fifth to sixth century, but possibly as early as the fourth century.
Gilmour said such stones were “very rare and would normally have been found in Ireland or Scotland … so finding them in the Midlands is actually unusual”.
She suggested it might be related to people coming from Ireland or to early medieval monasteries in the area. “You would have monks and clergy moving between different monasteries.”
The stone, which is 11 cm long and weighs 139 g, is inscribed on three of its four sides.
Its purpose is unclear, Gilmore said, adding: “It may have been a portable commemorative item. we don’t know It’s an amazing little thing.”
Explaining its inscription ‘Maldumcail/ S/ Lass’, Gilmore said: ‘The first part refers to the name of a man, Mael Dumcail. The second part is less certain. We are not sure where S/ Lass comes from. It’s probably a location. So something like “make me do”.
Senior said it was exciting to be told the artefact was important, adding: “We are not far from the Sow River. I think it must have been a major transport route.
The stone will be displayed at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, to which Senior has donated it permanently.
It will feature in the forthcoming Collecting Coventry exhibition, which opens on 11 May.
Ali Wells, curator at the museum, said: “It’s really amazing. The language originated in Ireland. So finding him in Coventry was an exciting mystery. Coventry has been excavated over the years, especially the city center, so there aren’t that many new finds. It was quite unexpected.”
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