TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

23. Winchester Area, hampshire: Late bronze Age
penannular ring (2006 T635)
Date: c. 1150–750 BC
Discovery: Found by Mrs C Wise while metal-detecting
in August 2004.
Description: A small, plain penannular ring. Damage at
the terminals and on the hoop shows this to comprise
a gold covering over a base-metal core. External
diameter: 15 x 14.5mm; weight: 4.59g. Surface analysis
indicated a gold content of 74–77%. A well-known
Bronze Age type, decorative in character.
Disposition: Winchester Museums Service hopes
to acquire.
G VARNDELL
24. buntingford, hertfordshire: Late bronze Age
gold penannular ring (2006 T379)
Date: c. 1150–750 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr C Nobbs while metaldetecting
in August 2006.
Description: A gold penannular ring with body of
plump oval cross-section. The ring bears decorative
narrow stripes of yellow and paler gold but this is now
very worn, especially at the external circumference, and
(notably) inside, opposite the gap. The ring can be seen
to comprise a gold covering over a base-metal core
(the gold is peeling back at the ends), which is generally
a copper alloy. External diameter: 18 x 20mm; weight:
11.74g. Surface analysis indicated a gold content of
approximately 80–84% in the yellow stripes. A wellknown
Late Bronze Age type, decorative in nature.
Disposition: Hertford Museum hopes to acquire.
G VARNDELL
25. Newchurch, Isle of Wight: Late bronze Age
gold penannular ring (2005 T201)
Date: c. 1150–750 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr G Leng while metal-detecting
in May 2005.
Description: A penannular ring comprising a plain
gold foil covering over a base-metal core. The piece
is weathered and the foil is split in one place. There
is a wrinkle in the foil covering almost opposite the
gap. A well-known Late Bronze Age type, decorative
in character. Max. external diameter: 16.5mm; weight:
4.55g. Surface analysis indicated a gold content of
approximately 82%.
Disposition: Isle of Wight Museum Service had hoped
to acquire but withdrew; British Museum.
F BASFORD & G VARNDELL
26. West Wight, Isle of Wight: Late bronze Age
gold lock ring (2006 T95)
Date: c. 1000–800 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr M Penn in a rock pool in
December 2005.
Description: A penannular gold ring, crumpled and
distorted, comprising two face-plates joined by a flat
strip of gold to form a triangular cross-section. The joins
were soldered but have largely sprung apart, although
the soldered join remains intact at each end. Each
face-plate is composed of thirteen gold wires soldered
together concentrically. Max. external diameter: 19mm;
weight: 1.21g. Surface analysis indicated a gold content
of approximately 79–82%.
Discussion: The piece belongs to a well-known
series of Bronze Age ornaments, their manufacture
demonstrating the technological skill of goldsmiths at
this time; the technique of soldering individual wires
together to form the face-plates appears to be an Irish
variant. Eogan (1994) noted a total of 62 examples
from Britain, Ireland and France, a number since
augmented by a handful of examples from England
(including the recent hoard find from the Berwickupon-Tweed
area, this volume no. 64).
Disposition: Isle of Wight Museum Service.
G VARNDELL
27. brabourne, Kent: Late bronze Age gold ingot
(2005 T259)
Date: c. 1000–800 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr K Phillips while metaldetecting
in June 2005
Description: A small, cast ‘finger-ingot’, roughly planoconvex
in section. Cut-marks are visible (possibly done
with a chisel in antiquity). However, comparable pieces
were found in the hoard from Mooghaun, Co. Clare
(Eogan 1994, Pl. XV), where other items are datable to
the Late Bronze Age. The composition of the example
from Brabourne is entirely compatible with such a
date. Length: 39mm; weight: 12.19g. Surface analysis
indicated a gold content of approximately 83%.
Disposition: Canterbury Museum, the landowner’s
share generously donated.
G VARNDELL
28. Kent area: Late bronze Age gold penannular ring
(2005 T282)
Date: c. 1150–750 BC
Discovery: Found while metal-detecting and seized by
police following non-reporting in July 2005.
Description: Small, solid penannular ring with
irregularly facetted section. Each flattened face has one
row of pointillé dots and there is another on the outer
face. Between, there are rows of finely executed oblique
strokes in opposing directions; in places the latter are
very worn. This type of decoration is uncommon in
the Late Bronze Age penannular ring series. The motifs
are, however, familiar on other Bronze Age gold. Max.
external diameter: 11mm; weight: 1.19g.
Disposition: British Museum hopes to acquire.
G VARNDELL
29. maidstone Area, Kent: Late bronze Age
gold penannular ring (2006 T465)
Date: c. 1150–750 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr B Petit while metal-detecting
in September 2006.
Description: A penannular gold ring comprising a gold
covering over a base metal core, usually copper alloy.
The piece has fairly fine stripes, probably of yellow and
paler gold, but this decorative effect is extremely worn
and heavily stained red-brown. The central area and gap
are plugged with corrosion products which also form an
excrescence on one side of the gap. External diameter:
20 x 18mm; weight: 13.86g. Surface analysis indicates
a gold content of approximately 64–67% in the yellow
stripes. The object belongs to a well-known Bronze Age
type, decorative in character.
Disposition: Maidstone Museum hopes to acquire.
G VARNDELL
30. bawdeswell area, Norfolk: Late bronze Age
gold bracelet hoard (2005 T347)
Date: c. 960–750 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr D Perkins while metaldetecting
in September 2005, four in close proximity
apparently clumped together, and all others singly at
the same depth and within 18 inches.
Description: Seven gold penannular bracelets, all
slightly distorted. Max. external diameters: 57–67.5mm.
Surface analysis indicated gold contents of 83–86% for
bracelet nos. 1, 4, 5 & 7, 81% for no. 2, 92–94% for no.
3 and 77–79% for no. 6.
1–5. Five gold penannular bracelets, slightly distorted,
with c-shaped cross-sections and flat, outwardly
projecting terminals. Max. breadth: 10.5mm; thickness
at edges: 0.5mm; weights: 18.53–41.62g.
6. Penannular bracelet with a thicker body which is
internally concave, and solider, outwardly expanding
terminals. Max breadth: 9mm; thickness at edges: 1mm;
weight: 28.96g.
7. Penannular bracelet with a plain, flat body with
solid, evenly expanded terminals. Max. breadth: 8mm;
thickness at edges: 1mm; weight: 26.23g.
Discussion: All three types are well known in the
British Late Bronze Age. They find their best analogues
in, respectively, Eogan’s Variety 3/Needhan C*; Eogan
Variety 4/Needham C; Eogan Variety 1/Needham B1
(Eogan 1994; Hook & Needham 1989). Other gold
bracelet hoards in which one or more of the types are
represented include the two Bexley (Kent) hoards and
those from Tisbury, Wiltshire; Morvah, Cornwall and
Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk (all illustrated in Eogen 1994).
Disposition: Norwich Castle Museum.
G VARNDELL
31. Radway, Warwickshire: Late bronze Age
gold penannular ring (2005 T552)
Date: c. 1150–750 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr G Foard & Mr L MacFarlane
while metal-detecting in October 2005.
Description: A small gold penannular ring with traces
of decorative banding in close-set narrow stripes,
which would originally have shown as bands of
yellow and paler gold. The alternate stripes of softer
metal are somewhat eroded and the banded effect
is now difficult to see with the naked eye. The piece
is worn, especially around the circumference. The
ring belongs to a well-dated group of ornaments of
the Late Bronze Age. External diameter: 13–12mm;
weight: 4.24g. Surface analysis indicated a gold content
of approximately 79–82% and confirmed a solid
gold core. This ring has complex three-tone striping
analogous to a ring in the British Museum collection
which formed part of a scientific study (Meeks
forthcoming).
Disposition: Generously donated by the finder and
landowner to Warwickshire Museum.
G VARNDELL
22 BRONZE AGE BRONZE AGE 23