the mystery of a real ring

Aside from the mystery of the 9th-century ring unearthed in Sweden and marked "for Allah," there are some nuggets of interest in this Washington Post story that could have used some editing/rewriting.

For example, glass was new to Vikings but long-known in the Middle East where the ring probably originated; the Vikings prized silver over gold; and there were some not-entirely-complimentary observations about the Viking visitors:

"They are the filthiest of all Allah’s creatures," the Arab writer wrote in the 10th century. "They do not purify themselves after excreting or urinating or wash themselves when in a state of ritual impurity after coitus and do not even wash their hands after food."