Four-year-old strikes gold with 500-year-old reliquary in UK

A childhood fantasy became a stunning reality for four-year-old James Hyatt in May 2009, when a casual outing with his father's metal detector led to the discovery of a priceless golden reliquary, believed to date back over 500 years to the 16th century.

James's father, Jason Hyatt, recounted their walk through a field in Hockley, UK when the metal detector suddenly "got a buzz... quite a strong buzz." Digging "six to eight inches down," they uncovered a "flash of gold" – a beautiful, diamond-shaped locket. The locket was intricately inscribed with images of Christ, a female religious figure (possibly Mary or St. Helena), and the names of the Magi, Caliber.Az reports via My Modern Met.

Following an inquest, the artifact was officially declared treasure. In 2012, in adherence to the Treasure Act of 1996, the British Museum acquired the locket, which was speculated to be worth up to 2.5 million British pounds.

Subsequent conservation work by Marilyn Hockey at the British Museum revealed more about the enigmatic piece. Weighing approximately a third of an ounce with a gold content of up to 73 per cent, the pendant was likely "worn by a wealthy individual as a discreet statement of piety," embodying the dual nature of early 16th-century religious jewelry as both decoration and holy amulet. Hockey's efforts also allowed the locket to be opened for the first time in centuries, revealing flax fibers and hinting at the previous presence of a relic, possibly a fragment of the True Cross.

Now known as the Hockley Pendant, this extraordinary find is a centerpiece in the British Museum’s permanent collection. In accordance with the Treasure Act, James Hyatt and the landowner shared a percentage of the sale, a real-life golden reward for a childhood dream.

By Naila Huseynova