Bronze Age Neck Torc

$284.34

A beautifully patinated Bronze Age torc, penannular in shape and elliptical in cross-section. It is formed from a single bronze rod, which has been decorated with lines incised longitudinally along the outer edge. The sections of incised grooves alternate between longer and shorter strips, each separated by a short section of metal left undecorated. The thickness is mainly consistent throughout, although the rod tapers and flattens slightly towards the terminals.

Internal diameter: 10.2 cm

Date: 1500 - 1100 BC
Period: Bronze Age
Condition: Excellent condition with an attractive green patina.

SOLD

SKU: OB-33 Category: Tag:

Torcs were neck rings worn widely across Europe during the Bronze Age. Indeed, testament to their popularity are the stunning examples made from valuable metals (such as the Snettisham Great Torc of gold alloy), and frequent mentions of torcs as spoils of war. These decorative pieces were not confined to militarily contexts, however, with their frequent appearance on Celtic deities suggestive of the torc’s religious significance. More generally, the popularity of the torc reflects the prosperity of the later second millenium BC in Europe. New technologies, trade routes, and agricultural methods were rapidly developing, with beneficiaries flaunting evidence of their increased wealth and heightened social status.

Dimensions W 10.2 cm
Culture

Metal

Time Period

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