A ring that could have belonged to Pontius Pilate has been discovered in Israel (photo)

A 2,000-year-old ring found 50 years ago near Jerusalem may well have been worn by Pontius Pilate. He was the Roman prefect of Judea in 26-37 AD.

Pilate served as the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judea during the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberius during the probable life of Jesus. The ring bears the inscription in Greek letters "Pilaton" (ΠΙΛΑΤΟ), according to the Greek Reporter.

It is made of copper alloy and depicts a crater, a large wine vessel. The inscription is arranged around the crater, forming a single word similar to "Pilato".

The intriguing artifact was one of many items found in Herod's tomb, but recently archaeologists have attempted to interpret the interesting inscription.

Read also: 1,500-year-old Byzantine lamp discovered in Israel near the Gaza border (photo)

Some scholars believe that the ring is indeed a real artifact that belonged to Pontius Pilate himself. They argue that the inscription is a clear reference to the prefect's name, and the simple copper alloy construction is consistent with rings commonly worn by Roman officials of his rank.

Other scholars have raised doubts about the ring's authenticity. They note that the inscription could also be interpreted as two separate words, "PI" and "LATO," which could refer to other persons or concepts unrelated to Pontius Pilate. They also argue that the design and workmanship of the ring is not consistent with the rings of Roman prefects.

Recall, in Peru discovered geoglyphs of cats and humanoid figures 30 BC.

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