When amateur archaeologist Bob Dix unearthed what purported to be a Roman treasure, he thought it was pretty special - but he was not quite too sure why. Until now.

When his son gave him a metal detector for his birthday, he spent two days scouring his garden in Pylle.

Among several things he dug up was what seemed to be a risqué and raunchy Roman remnant. The pendant-style piece of jewelry clearly shows a man and woman engaged in an intimate sex act.

Mr Dix thought it was a bit strange but pretty special and tucked it away in a box for safe keeping.

To his surprise, he read about the story of a similar find in a national newspaper this month. Excited experts claim that the bronze Roman coin which recently washed up on the banks of the Thames is the first example of a Roman brothel token ever found in this country. Now Mr Dix, whose find has a similar design to the one found by a London pastry chef, has called in the experts too. And he maintains the discovery in his garden was actually the first.

Experts say the holder of the coin found in London would in Roman times have taken it to one of the many Londinium brothels and handed it to a sex slave in exchange for the act depicted on the coin. Retired Mr Dix, who now lives in Shepton Mallet, and used to run Community Care Mobility in Wells, hopes experts will find his token just as exciting - and valuable.

He said: "I believe the piece I found is slightly different to the one in London - I think it was what the prostitutes would have worn round their necks and people would recognise what service they were willing to provide."

Mr Dix says his former home in Pylle was off the Fosse Way, next to a former Roman settlement where builders unearthed many Roman artefacts years ago.

"I am eagerly waiting to hear what the experts say," he added.

To read the complete article, see:Roman remnant reveals risqué routines of our ancient invaders(www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Bob-calls-experts-check-brothel
-token/story-14975525-detail/story.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:ROMAN BROTHEL TOKEN UNCOVERED IN LONDON(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v15n02a17.html)