Ring with compartment found at Union campsite

[relichound]

This was found in a Union campsite in rural up-county Montgomery County,
Maryland about 24 years ago. Behind the engraved "S"

is a small door with
an oval opening where I suppose that hairs from a deceased person were
kept after the funeral. When I opened the little door, dust fell out, and
the hinge to the little door broke. I just glued it back and it can be repaired
if desired. I found several .69 cal. minnie balls very near to this, and some
other things.

 

[MRB1863]

Great ring find! What else did you find?

 

[relichound]

I found a US plate, but it was pretty bent, and two US rosettes, and bullets, ancient horseshoe,
and other things. These were mostly found in a plowed field, which I found with permission
from the farmer, and some things under my house in the crawl space. Now the ring I eyeballed
that in the plowed field very near where some .69 conical bullets were located.

 

[John Winn]

Way cool ! Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[kholland]

Interesting find.

 

[Private Watkins]

This was found in a Union campsite in rural up-county Montgomery County,
Maryland about 24 years ago. Behind the engraved "S" View attachment 73537 is a small door with
an oval opening where I suppose that hairs from a deceased person were
kept after the funeral. When I opened the little door, dust fell out, and
the hinge to the little door broke. I just glued it back and it can be repaired
if desired. I found several .69 cal. minnie balls very near to this, and some
other things.

Very cool indeed! Thanks for sharing with us... could it have possibly been a "spy" ring, or is that too 20th century...?

 

[relichound]

I wondered if it had been a "poison ring" but probably it is not that dramatic, and
it may have contained a snip of hair from a deceased relative. The people of that
time did things like that.

 

[donna]

Interesting ring.

 

[TinCan]

Or maybe his sweet heart put a snip of her hair in there so she would always be with him.

 

[Rebel_Giratina]

My first thought was something to carry secret messages but yes, a lock of hair or some other memento would be appropriate too...Very interesting and unique find.

 

[Patrick H]

That's a nice find.