Bronze Age Gold from Wales

Iron Age copper alloy bowl

Fragmentary bowl, only a small part of the body being preserved. The main part of a flattened, everted rim has been broken off; to this had been fastened by two rivets a copper alloy escutcheon forming the upper part of an incomplete cast copper alloy handle, the lower part of which ends in a ring fastened by three rivets to the side of the hemispherical bowl. The under surface of the escutcheon has a broad, deep, curving groove to hold the thickened lip of the lost everted rim of the bowl; the upper surface is decorated with an inlaid pattern of opaque red glass, formed of triquetras and coils giving a zoomorphic (feline?) suggestion which is enhanced by the ear-like projections from the shield-shaped escutcheon. Beyond the outer tip of the escutcheon the projecting terminal of the handle has been broken to reveal an iron core.

The Snowdon Bowl, 25-100 CE. This bronze and iron handle with red glass inlay was found on Grib Goch, Snowdon.

The Snowdon Bowl once had a bronze body with a rounded base. The handle was attached with a decorated mount. Late Iron Age bronze-workers perfected the technique of applying red glass insets to create colourful designs.

SC5.6

Collection Area

Archaeology & Numismatics

Item Number

74.20H

Find Information

Site Name: Cwm Beudy Mawr, Crib Goch

Collection Method: surface find
Date: 1974 / Jun / 03

Notes: Found partially exposed on the screes overlooking Cwm Beudy Mawr, north of Crib Goch on the NE side of Snowdon in a position which suggests that the object cannot have travelled far from its original point of deposition.

Acquisition

Donation, 2/9/1974

Measurements

diameter / mm:200.0 orig - approx.
width / mm:59.0 (escutcheon)

Material

copper alloy
iron
glass

Techniques

hammered

Location

St Fagans Gweithdy gallery : Celtic Art

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Categories

Bronze casting
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