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Description: | 2006 T562 - Gold-Capped Object from 'Mid Essex'Date: Bronze Age, or possibly later Finder: Mr Joseph Rayner Date of Discovery: 3rd November 2006 Circumstances of Discovery: Found approximately 6 inches deep in the plough soil whilst using a metal detector. The object was found close to a Bronze Age knife considered in the same treasure report (2005 T299) as a Bronze Age hoard containing: a socketed axe, a cast copper-alloy ring and a gold disc. Dimensions: External diameter: 31mm; height 25mm; weight: 35.8 g. Metal content: Plated surface, 52-55% gold, 39-42% silver, the remainder copper.Description: The object is formed of a convex disc with a cylinder-shaped protuberance in the centre. The protuberance has a constriction in the uppermost third, ending in a rounded knob. Four equidistant, circular rivet holes have been cut into the circular disc. It looks to have a copper-alloy core which has been plated with a gold-alloy.Discussion: The circular gold disc found with the Bronze Age hoard (2005 T299) has four rivet holes which match the position of the rivet holes on the gold object. It is the same size as the gold object. The composition of the gold-alloy used to make the circular disc is also very similar to this object. It is therefore very probable that this object and the disc were attached to one another in antiquity and became separated when the hoard was disturbed by ploughing.I can find no close parallels for this object. The object is unlikely to be a shield boss. It does not resemble other known Bronze Age shield bosses. It is also unlikely that the back of a shield boss would have been covered with gold as the gold would not have been visible when it was attached to a shield. There is some resemblance between this object and the top piece of crowns of Iron Age or Roman date.Conclusion: This object and the gold disc (reported as part of the Treasure Report 2005 T299) were almost certainly attached to one other during antiquity. On the balance of probabilities therefore this object was once a part of a Bronze Age hoard and became separated from the hoard when it was disturbed by ploughing. As a result, although it is not possible to identify this object it qualifies as Treasure. It is more than 300 years old and there is a proven association with objects which have already been declared Treasure.Jody Joy, Curator of Iron Age Collections,20th March 2007.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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