Bronze Age Gold from Wales

A Middle Bronze Age hoard (1300-1150 BCE) comprising four gold torcs, coiled for use as armlets. The torcs range in weight from 40.4g to 214.1g and include a range of forms including a flange-twisted torc, two bar-twisted torcs and a plain bar torc.

This hoard was found around 21st February 1954 in a field under pasture known as Cae-gwyllt Bank belonging to Talwrn Farm. Two farm workers were clearing the field of stones for ploughing and found a large upright stone on its side weighing approximately 100kg, below which was a heap of small stones. Under one of these stones were two torcs. Below these was a stone, which was found to cover a further pair of torcs. This manner of burial shows the torcs were carefully placed and marked.

These torcs occupy a special place in the development of the national collection at Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. When the torcs were purchased in 1954, it was the first time that the national museum was able to have first claim to a Treasure Trove find from Wales.