Unearthed 16th-Century Ring an Important New Clue in Mystery of Lost Colony

Archeologists have found more evidence they say suggests members of the Lost Colony may have joined American Indians living on the Outer Banks.

A 16th-century gold signet ring recently unearthed is a new clue in the 400-year-old mystery of Roanoke Island settlements, a veteran archeologist says.

“This is the first direct tie-in we’d had with the Roanoke colonies,” said David Phelps, director of the East Carolina University Coastal Archeology Office.

The ring, bearing a depiction of a lion, was sifted from sand taken from four feet down in an archeological excavation pit on Hatteras Island. Sir Walter Raleigh’s settlements of 1585 and 1587 were located about 50 miles north on Roanoke Island.

Settlers under the leadership of John White mysteriously disappeared after he left them to get more supplies from England. Upon his return in 1591 he found the letters “Croatoan” carved on a tree. Many theorized the settlers joined the Croatan Indians on Hatteras Island.