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The Great Torc
Detail of the Torc
One of the hoards
Diameter: 20.000 cm
Weight: 1080.000 g
P&EE 1951 4-2 2
Room 50: Britain and Europe
War and art in Iron Age Britain
Snettisham Great Torc
This torc, an ornament worn around the neck, was made with great skill and tremendous care in the first half of the first century BC. It is made from just over a kilogram of gold, as rare and valuable then as it is today, mixed with silver. It is made from sixty-four threads. Eight threads were twisted together at a time to make eight separate ropes of metal. These were then twisted around each other to make the final torc. The ends of the torc were cast in moulds. The hollow ends were then welded onto the ropes.
This is only one of a large number of gold, silver and bronze torcs buried at Snettisham in north-west Norfolk.
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History of Iron Age swords and scabbards, £85.00