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  How it may have been worn

 

Weight: 560.000 g

Majority purchased; small fragments by gift from Sir W.C. Trevelyan, Bt., J. Evans, Miss Lewis, F. Potts and C.W. Rogers

P&EE 1836 9-2 1;P&EE 1856 10-14 10;P&EE 1857 12-16 1;P&EE 1877 5-7 1;P&EE 1881 5-14 1;P&EE 1883 12-7 1;P&EE 1927 4-6 1;P&EE 1972 6-1 1-4

Prehistory and Europe

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Jewellery

The Mold gold cape

This gold 'cape' was found in an ancient burial mound. Like the diadem, it was being worn by a skeleton - this time over its shoulders. It fitted closely, and the wearer would not be able to move their arms very well. Because of this, it would probably have been worn only on special occasions by someone very important.

A few final facts...
The cape was skilfully made from a single gold ingot, hammered into shape. It was found crushed and in many pieces. Conservators from the Museum painstakingly reconstructed it. The wearer of this unique ceremonial cape probably held high religious authority.