Bronze Age Gold from Wales
Caergwrle Bowl
The Caergwrle Bowl is a rare representation of a Bronze Age ship. We think the zig-zags around the base are waves and the long triangles are oars. The eye symbol protected sailors. The circles are the shields of its heroic voyagers. It speaks of connections: shale from Dorset, tin from Cornwall and gold from Ireland or Wales. It was placed beside the River Alun, which flows into the River Dee towards the Irish Sea.
Collection Area
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Find Information
Site Name: Caergwrle Castle, Caergwrle
Notes: Single find. The bowl was found in 1823 by a workman in a boggy field near Caergwrle Castle. This findspot is close to the River Alun. See Davies (1949) for a discussion on the various provenances cited over the years. The coordinates stated above are based on his conclusions. Darganfyddiad unigol. Cafwyd hyd i Bowlen Caergwrle tua 1823 gan weithiwr mewn cae gwlyb, yn agos i Afon Alun. Gweler Davies (1949) am drafodaeth ar y gwahanol darddleoedd a enwyd dros y blynyddoedd. Mae’r cyfesurynnau uchod yn seiliedig ar ei gasgliadau ef.