Gull ring found in field reveals century-old family tragedy

A gold ring discovered by chance in a field in Løten, Norway, has uncovered the story of Julie Bolstad, a woman whose life was marked by love, illness, and tragedy, reports Dagbladet.

Kenny Hansen, 53, found the ring while searching the field on March 22. Engraved inside was the name “Julie” and the date “14–10–1917.” After sharing photos of the discovery on Facebook, the mystery of its origins began to unravel.

Within days, Olav Sveen, 73, recognized the inscription as belonging to his grandmother, Julie Bolstad. The ring had been lost on the family farm in Løten, where Julie and her husband, Peter, once lived.

Peter Bolstad, a farmer and mill owner known for his ingenuity, had gifted the ring to Julie before their 1918 marriage. The couple had four children, but twin daughters died just two days after birth in 1926. Peter later succumbed to tuberculosis in 1933, leaving Julie devastated. She took her own life in 1936, leaving their two surviving children, then 15 and 17, orphaned.

Sveen, who never met his grandparents, said the discovery brought unexpected closure. “I never thought we’d find out so quickly who the ring belonged to,” he told Dagbladet. “It’s a bittersweet feeling to finally know more about their lives.”

Hansen, who has made several historical finds, called the experience deeply personal. “When you see photos of the people connected to something like this, it becomes very real,” he said.