Sedgeford Torc
Encyclopedia
The Sedgeford Torc is a broken Iron Age
gold
torc
found near the village of Sedgeford
in Norfolk
. The main part of the torc was found during harrowing
of a field in 1965, and the missing terminal was found by Dr. Steve Hammond during fieldwork by the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project
in 2004. The torc is now displayed at the British Museum
.
, found in Newark-on-Trent
in Nottinghamshire
that it might have been made by the same craftsman.
The torc was buried deliberately, and as such is considered a hoard
ed object. It may have been broken when it was buried, or broken at a later date by ploughing. It is thought to have been buried in about 75 BC.
, which included many gold torcs. The torc was declared treasure trove
during an inquest held at Sedgeford on 29 December 1966. The torc was then acquired for the British Museum through the Duchy of Lancaster
and with the assistance of the Christy Trust, and the finder, landowner A. E. Middleton was awarded the full market value of £3,300. The British Museum arranged for a replica to be made, to be displayed at the Norwich Castle Museum
.
In Easter 2004 the missing terminal was found during an archaeological fieldwalking survey, using metal detectors, arranged by the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project
. The terminal was found by retired chemistry lecturer Dr. Steve Hammond about 400 metres from the findspot of the main body of the torc. The terminal was also declared treasure trove and purchased for the British Museum with assistance from The Art Fund. It has since been reunited with the rest of the Sedgeford Torc at the British Museum.
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
torc
Torc
A torc, also spelled torq or torque, is a large, usually rigid, neck ring typically made from strands of metal twisted together. The great majority are open-ended at the front, although many seem designed for near-permanent wear and would have been difficult to remove. Smaller torcs worn around...
found near the village of Sedgeford
Sedgeford
Sedgeford is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, about 6 km south of the North Sea and east of the Wash. It is approximately north east of Cambridge.It covers an area of and had a population of 540 in 224 households as of the 2001 census....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. The main part of the torc was found during harrowing
Harrow (tool)
In agriculture, a harrow is an implement for breaking up and smoothing out the surface of the soil. In this way it is distinct in its effect from the plough, which is used for deeper tillage. Harrowing is often carried out on fields to follow the rough finish left by ploughing operations...
of a field in 1965, and the missing terminal was found by Dr. Steve Hammond during fieldwork by the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project
Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project
The Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project is a long-term, multidisciplinary research project based in north-west Norfolk, UK. It is involved in the investigation of the local history and archaeology, with a strong emphasis on community involvement, practical training and education...
in 2004. The torc is now displayed at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Description
The torc dates from 200-50 BC and is made from twisted gold wires. Forty-eight 2mm wires were twisted in pairs to form 24 wires. Then three of these paired wires were twisted together in the opposite direction to make a rope (comprising six original wires). These eight thicker ropes were then twisted together to form the body of the torc. In total, 25 metres of gold wire was used to form the torc. The hollow gold terminals, in a ring shape, were cast using the lost wax method, and is decorated in the La Tène style with moulded raised decoration of trumpet voids and circles, highlighted with pellets and cold hammering. The torc is similar to the Great Torc from Snettisham and also to the Ipswich torcs, all of which are also in the British Museum. It is considered so similar to the Newark TorcNewark Torc
The Newark Torc is a complete Iron Age gold alloy torc found by a metal detectorist on the outskirts of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England in February 2005....
, found in Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
that it might have been made by the same craftsman.
The torc was buried deliberately, and as such is considered a hoard
Hoard
In archaeology, a hoard is a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground. This would usually be with the intention of later recovery by the hoarder; hoarders sometimes died before retrieving the hoard, and these surviving hoards may be uncovered by...
ed object. It may have been broken when it was buried, or broken at a later date by ploughing. It is thought to have been buried in about 75 BC.
Discovery
The major part of the torc was found on 6 May 1965 in a field at West Hall Farm in Sedgeford, Norfolk, while the field was being lightly harrowed. As the harrow only penetrated a few inches, it is thought that the torc had been brought to near the surface by earlier deep ploughing. The findspot is only two miles west of the site of the large Snettisham HoardSnettisham Hoard
The Snettisham Hoard, Snettisham Treasure or Snettisham Torc, is a series of discoveries of Iron Age precious metal, found in the Snettisham area of the English county of Norfolk between 1948 and 1973....
, which included many gold torcs. The torc was declared treasure trove
Treasure trove
A treasure trove may broadly be defined as an amount of money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion found hidden underground or in places such as cellars or attics, where the treasure seems old enough for it to be presumed that the true owner is dead and the heirs undiscoverable...
during an inquest held at Sedgeford on 29 December 1966. The torc was then acquired for the British Museum through the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
and with the assistance of the Christy Trust, and the finder, landowner A. E. Middleton was awarded the full market value of £3,300. The British Museum arranged for a replica to be made, to be displayed at the Norwich Castle Museum
Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle is a medieval royal fortification in the city of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk. It was founded in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of...
.
In Easter 2004 the missing terminal was found during an archaeological fieldwalking survey, using metal detectors, arranged by the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project
Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project
The Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project is a long-term, multidisciplinary research project based in north-west Norfolk, UK. It is involved in the investigation of the local history and archaeology, with a strong emphasis on community involvement, practical training and education...
. The terminal was found by retired chemistry lecturer Dr. Steve Hammond about 400 metres from the findspot of the main body of the torc. The terminal was also declared treasure trove and purchased for the British Museum with assistance from The Art Fund. It has since been reunited with the rest of the Sedgeford Torc at the British Museum.
Further reading
- I. M. Stead, Celtic Art in Britain before the Roman Conquest (London, The British Museum Press, 1987, revised edition 1997)
See also
- Newark TorcNewark TorcThe Newark Torc is a complete Iron Age gold alloy torc found by a metal detectorist on the outskirts of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England in February 2005....
- Snettisham HoardSnettisham HoardThe Snettisham Hoard, Snettisham Treasure or Snettisham Torc, is a series of discoveries of Iron Age precious metal, found in the Snettisham area of the English county of Norfolk between 1948 and 1973....
- Stirling hoardStirling hoardThe Stirling torcs make up a hoard of four gold Iron Age torcs, a type of necklace, all of which date to between 300 B.C. and 100 B.C. and which were buried deliberately at some point in antiquity. They were found by a metal detectorist in a field near Blair Drummond, Stirlingshire, Scotland on 29...
External links
- British Museum page on the torc
- "The Sedgeford Torc" J W Brailsford in British Museum Quarterly - article on the torc
- http://www.sharpinfo.org.uk/itemsofinterest/torc.htmThe Sedgeford Torc missing terminal Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research ProjectSedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research ProjectThe Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project is a long-term, multidisciplinary research project based in north-west Norfolk, UK. It is involved in the investigation of the local history and archaeology, with a strong emphasis on community involvement, practical training and education...
page] - The Sedgeford Torc missing terminal The Art Fund page
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/jan/18/artnews.arts"'Unsung heroes of heritage' extolled for unearthing hoard of treasure" The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
] - http://www.flickr.com/photos/suewhite/2054808947/Sedgeford Torc on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
- to the centre left of the photo]