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Description: | A Middle Bronze Age hoard consisting of one cast copper-alloy bracelet and 21 cast copper-alloy ring fragments. Treasure case no. 2012 T430.Newport, Isle of Wight: A hoard of one decorated bracelet and 21 cast cu-alloy ring fragments (IOW-B3F7D1)2012 T430Date of discovery: 29.05.2012 .Circumstances of discovery: Metal detecting on cultivated land in the parish of Newport, Isle of Wight.Description: A hoard of one cast copper-alloy bracelet and 21 cast copper alloy ring fragments. According to the finder, the bracelet and ring fragments were found just below the top soil and were stacked above the large ring.CatalogueNote: Catalogue completed before conservation work undertaken.The objects were not cleaned or treated by the finders.A. Bracelet (1)Measurements: External diameter: 84mm. Internal diameter: 58mm. Thickness: 11mm (one side) and 13mm (other side). Weight: 228.4g.Description: Large heavy cast copper alloy ring, probably a bracelet. Complete. Surface affected by large patches of corrosion, obliterating marks of wear and decoration. The thicker side (13mm in diameter) of the ring appears to have been decorated with bands of herring bone ornament and parallel grooves on the outside. However, only small areas of decoration remain. The thinner side (11mm in diameter) appears to be undecorated but the surface here is much more heavily corroded than the thicker side and any decoration may have been obliterated. The difference in thickness is probably due to corrosion.1. Ring fragment (1)Measurements: External diameter: 88mm. Internal diameter: 73mm. Thickness: c. 10mm. Weight: 80.9g.Description: One half of a cast copper alloy ring with tapering terminals. Ring was probably circular once but is now bent out of shape and appears more oval. One terminal appears pointier than the other, but both terminals are broken and they are heavily corroded. The ring appears undecorated. Circular cross-section.2. Ring fragment (2)Measurements: External diameter: 82.5mm. Internal diameter: 71.5mm. Thickness: c. 6mm. Weight: 30.2g.Description: Three quarters of a thin cast copper alloy ring with slightly tapering terminals. The terminals may be broken/show damage but like the surface of the ring, they area heavily affected by bronze disease and corrosion. The ring appears undecorated. Circular cross-section.3. Ring fragment (3)Measurements: External diameter: 81.5mm. Internal diameter: 70mm. Thickness: c. 7.5mm. Weight: 37.56g.Description: One half of a heavy cast copper alloy ring. The breaks are heavily corroded, but they do not seem to taper as they do in ring fragments (1) and (2). Its cross-section is flat circular, similar to a rectangle with two longer slightly concave sides. This suggests possible wear on the lower and upper surfaces, possibly the same kind of wear one would expect from a spiral or a ring with two or more twists. Undecorated.4. Ring fragment (4)Measurements: Length: 78mm. Thickness: c. 10mm. Weight: 46.85g.Description: One quarter of a large-sectioned, heavy cast copper alloy ring. Surface heavily corroded and affected by bronze disease. One terminal tapers to a point; the other is a clear break. The corrosion may have obliterated the original outline. Undecorated.5. Ring fragment (5)Measurements: Length: 65.5mm. Thickness: c. 8.5mm. Weight: 28.37g.Description: One quarter of a large-sectioned, heavy cast copper alloy ring. Surface heavily corroded and affected by bronze disease. One terminal tapers to a point; the other is a clear break. The corrosion may have obliterated the original outline. Circular/oval cross-section. Undecorated.6. Ring fragment (6)Measurements: External diameter: 76mm. Internal diameter: 65mm. Thickness: c. 7.5mm. Weight: 33.09g.Description: Cast copper alloy ring fragment. Thin-sectioned. It shows wear marks on the upper and lower surfaces, similar to no. 4. Surface in its centre is well-preserved, but terminals/breaks are very corroded and pointy, probably due to corrosion. Probably undecorated.7. Ring fragment (7)Measurements: Length: 75mm. Thickness: c. 8mm. Weight: 26.99g.Description: One third of a cast copper alloy ring. Thin-sectioned ring. One of its terminals tapers to a point, the other shows a clear break. Surface heavily corroded, especially at the terminals. Undecorated; one side possibly flattened. Probably undecorated.8. Ring fragment (8)Measurements: Length: 58mm. Thickness: c. 9mm. Weight: 20.29g.Description: A fragment of a cast copper alloy ring with heavily corroded surface. Probably undecorated.9. Ring fragment (9)Measurements: Length: 49mm. Thickness: c. 8mm. Weight: 15.26g.Description: A fragment of a cast copper alloy ring with heavily corroded surface and terminals, possibly flattened on one side. Probably undecorated.10. Ring fragment (10)Measurements: Length: 54mm. Thickness: c.7 mm. Weight: 11.99g.Description: A fragment of a cast copper alloy ring with heavily corroded surface and terminals. Thinner sectioned with one terminal tapering to a point. Cross-section roughly circular. Probably undecorated.11. Ring fragment (11)Measurements: Length: 51mm. Thickness: c. 7.8mm. Weight: 9.31g.Description: One quarter or one fifth of a cast copper alloy ring. It probably used to have a circular cross-section, which is now nearly hour-glass-shaped: this is probably due to corrosion. Probably undecorated.12. Ring fragment (12)Measurements: Length: 37.8mm. Thickness: c. 6mm. Weight: 6.51g.Description: One quarter or one third of a cast copper alloy ring. Thin-sectioned with heavily corroded surface. Circular cross-section. Undecorated.13. Ring fragment (13)Measurements: Length: 53.5mm. Thickness: c. 6.5mm. Weight: 7.8g.Description: One quarter or one third of a cast copper alloy ring. Thin-sectioned with heavily corroded surface. Circular cross-section. Undecorated.14. Ring fragment (14)Measurements: Length: 24.5mm. Thickness: c. 7.9mm. Weight: 3.84g.Description: Very small cast copper-alloy ring fragment. It was probably made with a circular cross-section, but its cross-section is now hourglass-shaped, as in some Late Bronze Age bucket or cauldron handles. However, it is very likely that the advanced state of corrosion contributed to the shape of the cross-section.15. Ring fragment (15)Measurements: Length: 25.2mm. Thickness: c. 6mm. Weight: 3.44g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.16. Ring fragment (16)Measurements: Length: 21.5mm. Thickness: c. 7mm. Weight: 3.21g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.17. Ring fragment (17)Measurements: Length: 24.3mm. Thickness: c. 6mm. Weight: 2.92g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.18. Ring fragment (18)Measurements: Length: 18mm. Thickness: c. 5mm. Weight: 1.46g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.19. Ring fragment (19)Measurements: Length: 28mm. Thickness: c. 4.5mm. Weight: 2.55g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.20. Ring fragment (20)Measurements: Length: 24mm. Thickness: c.4.5 mm. Weight: 2.06g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.21. Ring fragment (21)Measurements: Length: 21.5mm. Thickness: c. 3.3mm. Weight: 1.06g.Description: Small cast copper alloy ring fragment, heavily corroded. Probably circular-sectioned. Probably undecorated.DiscussionThe group of artefacts from the Newport parish, Isle of Wight, is composed of one complete cast copper alloy ring, probably a bracelet (A), and 21 cast copper-alloy ring fragments (nos. 1-21) which, according to the finder were all found in close association in the same findspot.Almost all of the ring fragments suffer from heavy corrosion and bronze disease in several areas, especially around the breaks. Due to the corrosion it is not possible to join up any of them to form complete rings, even though, conceivably, some of the fragments may have come from the same ring. It is possible that the objects were complete rings or else, had an opening on one side. Most of the surviving terminals seem to taper which suggests the latter.Their use is unknown. If complete, some of the rings would have had a diameter too small to for a bracelet, but it may be suggested that they were harness rings or somehow vessel-related, either as handles or chains. If from the same object, some of them may have formed one spiral which may have been used as ornament or bracelets. However, due to the corroded state of the fragments this must remain pure speculation for the time being.The only surviving ring - the largest and heaviest of the artefacts - has slightly less corrosion on its surface and displays some fragmentary incised decoration in small patches: there are parallel lines and grooves making up a herring-bone ornament and zigzags, particularly visible on the thicker side of the bracelet. This decoration is characteristic for bracelets of Type Liss/Rowland's Class D2 dating from the Middle Bronze Age, c. 1400-1300BC. Type Liss bracelets are renowned for their geometrical decoration consisting of zigzags and herring bone ornament in separated zones which may be separated by incised or dotted lines. A similar bracelet from Hampshire was recorded as FASW-DA4387.Cast copper alloy bracelets of Type Liss are characteristic finds for the Middle Bronze Age 'Ornament Horizon' (c. 1400-1300BC), but they are not common finds. Worrell suggests that Liss bracelets concentrate in the southern counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and West Sussex, but she does not mention any specimens from the Isle of Wight. Worrell argues further that bracelets with incised decoration may have formed part of a North European tradition, which has led to the suggestion that the examples from southern England may be imported from northern France, although this theory has been questioned (O'Connor 1980). While some of the known bracelets come from hoards containing items such as torcs, pins, axes, palstaves and other mid-Bronze Age artefacts, the bracelet from Newport parish was found in association with 21 ring fragments which cannot be identified further due to their advanced state of corrosion. Middle Bronze Age hoards however, are usually composted of decorative fittings and ornaments. It could thus be argued that the ring fragments from Newport parish were once bracelets or armrings, too, rather than harness or vessel fittings.ConclusionThus, in light of this parallel and the finders' account that all ring fragments were found in close association, this group of objects qualifies as Treasure under the Amendment to the Treasure Act of 1996 (Category 2) which stipulates that any group of two or more metallic objects of any composition of any prehistoric date that come from the same find and found after 1 January 2003, qualify as Treasure under the Treasure Act.Dot Boughton MPhil MStFLO (Lancashire and Cumbria)Department of Portable Antiquities and TreasureThe British MuseumBibliographyO'Connor, B. 1980. Cross-Channel Relations in the Later Bronze Age. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports.Worrell, S. 2002. 'A Liss Type bracelet from Hampshire'. Hampshire Studies, no. 1.
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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