Master's eyebrows raise and a smile of his own spreads across his face. " Out of all we have found here, a small wood-chip is what you take as 'ancient treasure'?" He holds out his hand and Sir Finley places the totem on his palm. "Look at the carvings what do you see?" Master also squints down at the totem and takes a moment of contemplation before looking back at Sir Finley. "Squiggles?" 

Sir Finley chuckles " Look here, at these" He points to one spot on the totem. "Those are roses. And this-" He points to another spot. "Is a sheep. Do you see?" Master looks close again and nods. "What was this? Some kind of jewelry?" Sir Finley nods and motions to me. "Meredith told me that it was something worn around the neck, for protection was it? It is depicting some kind of fall. It is mythology from an ancient kingdom that was conquered by the Empire."  Green eyes raise to mine and Master asks, "What more do you know of this?" 

I know a lot about this. This was the religion of the slaves throughout history. "It is Goriath, the god of slaves, and Minna his love. This depicts one of their many trials, and was probably a gift to a lover. It is a totem of protection and a declaration of affection." Both men look at each other and break into even bigger smiles. Their jovial attitude only serving to make me feel worse. "Oh the stories these people tell even from beyond the grave!" Sir Finley crows and waves a fist in the air. "Thank goodness for you Meredith, without you we would have passed this right by!"

If that was fact then that would have been sad. An areologist team thinking nothing of any item found in this cart might have ended the world. But I smile and lower my head.