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Iron Age copper alloy trumpet
Portion of trumpet of 'Irish' type only, which is formed of a gently curving tube, the wavy join being riveted throughout its length to an inner strip of metal. Near the broken end of the tube the join was previously masked by a narrow oval "repair" strip with three rivet holes, one retaining the rivet head, decorated on the upper surface by rolled graver, with a matted pattern (this strip was lost c. 1976 during preparation of the Museum's Iron Age catalogue). The matted pattern is continued on the tube itself with an engraved pattern extending to its broken end. The opposite end is gripped by a hollow collar forming a flattened sphere, into which would have been fitted another curving tube.
An Iron Age musical instrument, 150 BCE-50 CE. This fragment of a curved horn is made from a riveted bronze cylinder section, and a cast circular boss.
It was once part of a C- or S-shaped horn, with a narrow mouth and a flaring bell, perhaps with a decorated mouth. Complete examples of similar instruments have survived in bogs and lakes in Ireland.
The evocative sounds of ceremonial music may have once disturbed the still waters of this lake. These were also instruments of war. They created intimidating sounds, to inspire bravery among warriors.
WA_SC 11.1
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Site Name: Llyn Cerrig Bach, Cae Ifan Farm
Notes: Found during the construction of an airfield at RAF Station Valley. Some certainly, the rest probably, from a wet meadow which formed the margin of Llyn Cerrig Bach. The exact depth below the grassy surface at which the objects were deposited is not known. The bog was excavated to a maximum depth of 20 feet. A few objects were found on the spot, after the peaty deposit had been won from the boggy margin of the lake. The rest, with the exception of 44.32/58, were found on that portion of the adjacent aerodrome on which the peat from this site had been spread. Animal bones were associated with the deposit and many metal objects were stained with vivianite.
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