- Museum number
- 1994,0408.12
- Description
-
Gold bracelet, decoration of hunting scene, including a nereid swimming with a hippocamp. The hoop has a markedly convex curve in profile, and plain thickened borders of triangular section, soldered in place. The figures are rendered in relief by the repoussé technique, and there is extensive surface working ranging from fine dotted patterns on the background, through short, lightly incised lines to indicate animal pelts, to bolder engraving. The design includes six animals and
two human figures.
(a) Huntsman crouching to the right, confronting a leopard; tree.
(b) Small bear to the right, confronting griffin; tree.
(c) Nereid swimming with a hippocamp, which wears a rope bridle.
The nereid is naked apart from her jewellery, two necklaces and a
bracelet on each wrist; tree.
(d) Fallen goat attacked by a leopard; tree.
The bracelet is a pair to 1994,0408.11
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 65 - 70 millimetres
-
Weight: 35.30 grammes
-
Width: 22 millimetres (hoop)
- Curator's comments
- Bracelets from the Hoxne hoard
Roman Britain, buried in the 5th century AD
Found at Hoxne, Suffolk (1992)
The Hoxne (pronounced 'Hoxon') hoard is the richest find of treasure from Roman Britain. Alongside the approximately 15,000 coins were many other precious objects, buried for safety at a time when Britain was passing out of Roman control.
This unique collection of nineteen bracelets was tightly packed together in the ground in three groups which were first separated during the laboratory phase of the excavation. They include matching pairs and sets of four. The bracelets in pierced goldwork are of fine quality, as is the pair with figured scenes in relief.
One set of four, made of corrugated gold sheet, resembles a pair in the Thetford treasure.
- Location
- On display (G49/dc23)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2005-2006 25 Jul-13 Jan, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Buried Treasure: Finding Our Past
2005 12 Feb-26 Jun, Newcastle, Hancock Museum, Buried Treasure: Finding Our Past
2004-2005 1 Oct-15 Jan, Manchester Museum, Buried Treasure: Finding Our Past
2004 30 Apr-21 Sep, Cardiff, National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Buried Treasure: Finding Our Past
2003-2004 21 Nov-14 Mar, London, BM, Buried Treasure: Finding Our Past
1994-1995 Oct-Jan, Ipswich Museum, The Hoxne Treasure
- Acquisition date
- 1994
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1994,0408.12
- Additional IDs
-
Treasure/PAS number: T304 (Treasure number)
