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Middle Bronze Age bronze torc
Middle Bronze Age bronze neck-ring fragment
This is a half fragment of a twisted bronze neck-ring or torc, with a plain and tapering end, or terminal. The twists are tightly spaced with an S-shaped curve, proving it to be part of a different neck-ring to the other fragment in the hoard group, which have Z-shaped curves (2016.31H/3-8). This decorative effect was achieved by casting the bronze metal into a clay mould with a twisted ring shape. The twist decoration survives better on the inside surfaces, suggesting that the outer surface twists may have been worn away during use on the body. The neck-ring has been dented in places, exposing fresh bronze metal, probably when the artefact was retrieved from the ground by the finder.
Twisted bronze neck-rings are the immediate and earlier pre-cursors to the better-known twisted Bronze Age gold torcs of Atlantic Europe. The earlier bronze forms date to the Taunton metalworking phase of the Middle Bronze Age (1400-1275 BCE). Similar bronze twisted neck-rings or torcs are frequently found in hoards across south-west England, with further examples from central-southern England and East Anglia. This hoard marks their first known presence and use into south-east Wales.
Dyma hanner darn o dorch efydd droellog, gyda phen terfynol plaen sy’n meinhau. Mae’r troellau’n dynn ac yn dilyn siâp S, sy’n profi ei fod yn rhan o dorch wahanol i’r darn arall yn y celc, sydd â throellau siâp Z (2016.31H/3-8). Crëwyd yr effaith addurnol hon trwy gastio’r metel efydd mewn mowld clai o siâp cylch troellog. Mae’r addurnwaith troellog wedi goroesi’n well ar yr arwynebau mewnol, sy’n awgrymu y gallai’r troellau ar yr arwyneb allanol fod wedi’u treulio wrth i’r dorch gael ei gwisgo ar y corff. Mae’r dorch wedi cael ei tholcio mewn mannau, gan amlygu metel efydd newydd, fwy na thebyg pan gododd y darganfyddwr yr arteffact o’r ddaear.
Mae torchau efydd troellog yn dyddio’n union cyn torchau aer troellog yr Oes Efydd o Ewrop yr Iwerydd, sy’n fwy adnabyddus. Mae’r ffurfiau efydd cynharach yn dyddio o gyfnod gwaith metel Taunton yng Nghanol yr Oes Efydd (1400-1275 CC). Caiff torchau efydd troellog tebyg eu darganfod yn aml mewn celciau ar draws de-orllewin Lloegr, ac mae rhagor o enghreifftiau yn dod o ganol de Lloegr a Dwyrain Anglia. Yr enghreifftiau ohonynt yn y celc hwn yw’r rhai cyntaf yr ydym yn gwybod am eu bodolaeth a’u defnydd yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru.
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 This is a near half fragment of a twisted bronze torc with a plain and tapering terminal. The twists are tightly spaced with an S-shaped curve, each ridge around 1.0-1.1mm wide and with the top of each twist approximately 2.0-2.2mm from the next. The twisting ceases to be evident towards the tapering terminal, starting to become apparent some 73.0-74.0mm from the surviving terminal end. The twists are far more pronounced on the interior surfaces and markedly worn around the external circumference surfaces, suggesting significant use-wear prior to burial. The bar is very slightly oval in shape, wider in the horizontal axis.
The torc has been dented in two places, probably during recent retrieval, with fresh bronze metal showing at one point. The torc has a grey-green patination, which is slightly lighter than most other torc fragments. The terminal end is fragile, with light green patination.
Collection Area
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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.