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Middle Bronze Age bronze bracelet
Middle Bronze Age decorated bronze bracelet fragments
These are two joining fragments from the mid-section of a heavy bronze bracelet, representing approximately one half of the original complete artefact. Both ends or terminals of the bracelet are now missing. The bracelet fragments suggest an oval-shaped bracelet, with a D-shaped cross section. The internal diameter is estimated to have been 7-8cm for wearing around the wrist or lower arm.
The inside surface has a slight ledge around its mid-point, parallel with the bracelet sides. This is a casting seam, showing the mould pieces were poorly matched together when the bracelet was cast. When looking closely at the outside surface of the bracelet, under the microscope, traces of surface decoration can be traced, including parallel vertically inscribed lines and a zone of diagonal inscribed lines. This decoration has been partially worn away as the bracelet was being worn.
This bracelet may be identified as a known class of Middle Bronze Age bracelets found in Britain, called Type Liss. These are closely related to very similar contemporary examples from northern France. Though probably made in Britain, it demonstrates close stylistic and cultural connections existed between Britain and northern France at this time.
Dyma ddau ddarn sy’n cyfuno o ran ganol breichled efydd drom, sy’n cynrychioli tua hanner yr arteffact cyflawn gwreiddiol. Mae’r ddau ben o’r freichled ar goll. Mae’r darnau o’r freichled yn awgrymu mai breichled hirgron ydoedd, gyda chroestoriad siâp D. Amcangyfrifir mai’r diamedr mewnol oedd 7-8cm i’w gwisgo o amgylch yr arddwrn neu ran isaf y fraich.
Mae darn bach yn ymwthio allan o amgylch rhan ganol yr arwyneb mewnol, yn gyfochrog ag ochrau’r freichled. Haen gastio ydyw, sy’n dangos bod darnau’r mowld wedi cael eu cysylltu â’i gilydd yn wael pan gafodd y freichled ei chastio. Wrth edrych yn ofalus ar arwyneb allanol y freichled, o dan ficrosgop, gellir gweld olion yr addurnwaith ar yr wyneb, gan gynnwys llinellau cyfochrog wedi’u harysgrifo’n fertigol a chasgliad o linellau wedi’u harysgrifo’n groeslinol. Mae’r addurnwaith yma wedi cael ei dreulio’n rhannol wrth i’r freichled gael ei gwisgo.
Mae’r freichled hon yn perthyn i ddosbarth adnabyddus o freichledi Liss o Ganol yr Oes Efydd sydd i’w gweld ym Mhrydain. Mae ganddyn nhw gysylltiad agos ag enghreifftiau cyfoes tebyg iawn o ogledd Ffrainc. Er bod y freichled hon wedi’i gwneud ym Mhrydain yn ôl pob tebyg, mae’n dangos bod cysylltiadau agos o ran steil a diwylliant yn bodoli rhwng Prydain a gogledd Ffrainc ar yr adeg hon.
This rich and varied group of bronze and gold objects was once carefully buried together as a hoard group. Dating to the Middle Bronze Age (1400-1275 BCE) it includes fragments from at least two twisted bronze neck-rings, a variety of bronze and gold bracelets and a large bronze dress-pin, also buried with a bronze dagger and a palstave axe. A first for Wales, similar ornaments and hoards have been found across southern England and northern France. This suggests that the original wearer maintained long-distance cultural connections and shared common stylistic trends.
Cafodd y gwrthrychau efydd ac aur cyfoethog ac amrywiol hyn eu claddu gyda’i gilydd yn ofalus fel celc ar un adeg. Maen nhw’n dyddio o Ganol yr Oes Efydd (1400-1275 CC) ac yn cynnwys darnau o ddwy dorch efydd droellog o leiaf, amrywiaeth o freichledau efydd ac aur a phin gwisg efydd mawr, a oedd hefyd wedi’u claddu gyda dagr efydd a bwyell balstaf. Dyma’r tro cyntaf i dlysau a chelc o’r fath gael eu canfod yng Nghymru, ond mae rhai tebyg wedi’u canfod yn ne Lloegr a gogledd Ffrainc. Mae hyn yn awgrymu bod y sawl a oedd yn eu gwisgo’n wreiddiol yn cynnal cysylltiadau diwylliannol ar draws pellter hir ac yn rhannu steil gyffredin.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION Decorated bronze bracelet of Liss Type (conjoining fragments). Two conjoining fragments of a substantial bronze bracelet, in combination representing a little under half of the original complete object. In plan, the hoop is oval in shape, while in section, it is D-shaped, with a convex external surface. On the internal surface, slightly offset from the mid line is a continuous ledge running in parallel with the bracelet sides. This would appear to be a casting join, created by imperfections in the mould or poorly aligned mould pieces. The internal profile has a very slight convexity, but most closely resembles a D-shaped form, rather than an oval section. Along the small bracelet fragment, there is a slight tapering of the bracelet width, suggesting this was once a penannular bracelet with tapering terminals. While the maximum width of the bar along fragment 9 is 16.0mm, the minimum width of the bar towards the terminal end of fragment 10 is 14.4mm.
Upon close inspection under the microscope, incised linear decoration is evident in places along the hoop of the bracelet. This appears to have been worn away in places through use. On the larger fragment 9, at the end furthest from its conjoin with fragment 10, a zone of parallel linear incised decoration is observed running across the hoop, from top to base. Next to this on the interior side, a fragmentary zone of diagonal incised lines can be seen running from the edge of the hoop towards the middle. Further traces of decoration can be seen near the break end of smaller fragment 10. Here, there appears to be a bounded incised zone, extending in a line or arc, from the hoop edge at an angle to the axis of the hoop. This is infilled with zones of parallel linear marks, while at one place a zone of infill aligned in one direction, meets another, aligned in the other to create a V-shaped motif at the join. Further study will be required to capture all surviving decoration, however it is clear that this bracelet exhibits traces of an incised and geometric design.
The breaks on the bracelet are soil covered, however the join is conclusive and the end breaks also appear well-defined, rather than worn. One exterior side of the hoop is differentially corroded and pitted, while there are localised patches of pitting and corrosion on the interior surface. The original surfaces have a dark grey-green patination, while corroded surfaces have a lighter grey green patina.
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Find Information
Site Name: Llantrisant Fawr, Monmouthshire
Notes: The hoard was discovered in 2013 by Phillip Turton, while he was metal-detecting on farm land under pasture, in Llantrisant Fawr Community, Monmouthshire. He responsibly reported the discovery and findspot to the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Wales as a treasure find. With the help of the finder, an archaeological investigation of the findspot was undertaken by museum archaeologists in 2013. The hoard was subsequently declared to be treasure by the Coroner for Gwent in 2015. It was later acquired in 2016 for the national collection, with the help of grant funding provided by the Saving Treasures; Telling Stories project (Collecting Cultures Programme) funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Cafodd y celc ei ddarganfod yn 2013 gan Phillip Turton, wrth iddo ddefnyddio datgelydd metel ar dir pori yng Nghymuned Llantrisant Fawr, Sir Fynwy. Yn gyfrifol iawn, fe roddodd wybod i’r Cynllun Henebion Cludadwy yng Nghymru am y trysor a’r man lle’r oedd wedi’i ddarganfod. Gyda’i gymorth ef, fe gynhaliodd archaeolegwyr yr amgueddfa ymchwiliad archaeolegol o’r man darganfod yn 2013. Wedi hynny, cafodd y celc ei gyhoeddi’n drysor gan Grwner Gwent yn 2015. Yn ddiweddarach, cafodd ei brynu yn 2016 ar gyfer y casgliad cenedlaethol, gyda chymorth cyllid grant gan y prosiect Hel Trysor; Her Straeon (y Rhaglen Casglu Diwylliannau) sy’n cael ei ariannu trwy Gronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri Genedlaethol. The artefacts were discovered in a dispersed scatter over a distance of 55m, though with a central focus. An archaeological investigation of the find-spot was undertaken by Adam Gwilt and Mark Lodwick on 26th September 2013, confirming the find-spots and burial focus. The burial focus was located at the top of a low hill plateau with good views up and down the Usk Valley. The scattered find-spots extending downslope, suggesting more dispersal of the hoard, probably in recent times.