An elephant and Anglo-Saxon watermill are among the treasure already unearthed in Ebbsfleet. Reporter ALAN WOODS looks at the latest find.

A GOLD intaglio ring discovered during the building of the Channel Tunnel Railway has been declared as treasure by a coroner.

Archaeologists working for railway operator High Speed 1 found the Roman ring during the excavation of the site in 2003.

An intaglio is a gem or precious stone - often carnelian, jasper or chalcedony - with an image engraved into it.

This particular example, although damaged, appears to depict an inscribing of two birds.

Despite its value currently unknown, North West Kent coroner Roger Hatch admitted it should be classified as treasure at an inquest in Gravesend on May 22.

Giving evidence, High Speed 1 Environment manager Rachel Starling said: “One of the contractors was excavating spoil in Ebbsfleet and as part of that, all the disturbed area is traced over with a metal detector.

“It was during this we came across this broken intaglio set in a gold mount.”

The ring, which is thought to be either first or second century Roman, will now be valued, and is currently in possession of Kent County Council before it is sent to the British Museum.

Mrs Starling added: “There has been a lot found at this site - Ebbsfleet is a very rich area because the Roman road passes through it.”

News Shopper reported in June 2004 how a 400,000-year-old Stone Age elephant was discovered where the station is now built in Southfleet Road.

With only four elephants from the same era having previously been found in the country, the discovery of the animal's head, spine, shoulders, neck and legs made it unique.

In June 2002, a 1,300-year-old oak timber Anglo Saxon watermill was also unearthed.

Mrs Starling said: “The watermill was incredibly rare and because it was of such significance and completely unexpected, we opened up the site for the public to view.

“Parts of the elephant are now going to the Natural History Museum.”

Gravesend historian Christoph Bull says the ring is likely to have originated from a Roman settlement called Vagniacae.

He said: “Vagniacae was classed as a town but a town in those days would be a village today.

“If it reached 1,000 people it would be remarkable.

“The excavation revealed they had a market, a lot of focus on agriculture and a strong religious significance - they had temples for various Gods.

“We have known about it for 300 years but it wasn’t excavated until about 70 years ago by the Gravesend historical society.”

What is treasure?

Any discovered man-made item more than 300 years old with a content of at least 10 per cent gold or silver is classed as treasure.

Following the ring's classification as treasure, public museums are now given the opportunity to take ownership.

Based on the treasure's value, if a museum wishes to display the ring a reward will be paid from public money.

The money will be split equally between the landowner and the finder.