Great Torc from Snettisham
The Great Torc from Snettisham or Snettisham Great Torc is a large, Iron Age electrum torc or neck-ring, the most spectacular object in the Snettisham Hoard of torcs and other metalwork found near the village of Snettisham in Norfolk, East Anglia. The perfectly intact torc is outstanding for its high level of craftsmanship and superb artistry. Soon after its discovery it was acquired by the British Museum.[1]
| Great Torc from Snettisham | |
|---|---|
 The Great Torc from Snettisham on display in the British Museum | |
| Material | Gold alloy |
| Size | 20 cm (8 in) diameter |
| Weight | 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) |
| Created | 100–75 BC |
| Discovered | 1950 |
| Present location | British Museum, London |
| Registration | P&EE 1951 4-2 2 |
Discovery
The torc was accidentally found in 1950 by a farmer ploughing a field at Ken Hill near the village of Snettisham. It had been buried with a bracelet and coin, which helped to date the torc to around 75 BC. Many other Iron Age hoards have since been found in the vicinity, but the Great Torc is considered by archaeologists to be the most important find from Snettisham. Declared part of a treasure trove soon after its discovery, the torc was purchased by the British Museum with the support of the National Art Collections Fund.[2]
Description
The Great Torc weighs just over a kilogram and is mostly made of gold alloyed with a small part of silver. The torc was made in two ways: complex threads of metal were grouped into ropes and twisted around each other to create the crescent shaped necklace; the ends of the torc were cast in moulds with La Tène designs and welded onto the metal ropes to create the whole composition. Given the large amount of precious metals found at the site, in addition to the sophisticated design of luxurious jewellery such as this, it has been conjectured that the area around Snettisham may have been connected with royalty from the Iceni tribe, that was based in this part of England at the time.
See also
References
- "British Museum Highlights". Archived from the original on 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
- "The Snettisham Great Torc". British Museum. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
Bibliography
- I. Stead, Celtic Art, British Museum Press, 1996
- Megaw Ruth and Vincent, Celtic Art: From Its Beginnings to the Book of Kells, 2001
- J.W. Brailsford, Later prehistoric antiquities (London, Trustees of the British Museum, 1953
- R. Rainbird Clarke, 'The Early Iron Age treasure from Snettisham, Norfolk', Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 20 (1954)
- I.M. Stead, 'The Snettisham Treasure: excavations in 1990', Antiquity-3, 65 (1991)