Metal detector enthusiast finds Iron Age gold necklaces in field near Stirling (will change the way historians view some of Scotland's ancient inhabitants)
La N
From The Times
November 4, 2009
�1m golden hoard rewrites history of ancient Scotland
Mike Wade
(Clara Molden/The Times)
PHOTO:
Four golden torcs similar to this - discovered in England in 1965 - have
been found in a Stirlingshire field
An enthusiast with a metal detector has unearthed a �1 million hoard of Iron
Age gold necklaces from a field near Stirling in a discovery that is set to
revolutionise the way that historians view some of Scotland's ancient
inhabitants.
According to experts at the National Museums of Scotland (NMS), the four
beautifully worked "torcs" represent the most significant find of Iron Age
metalwork in the country. One of the Stirling necklaces is a ribbon torc
made from twisted Irish or Scottish sheet gold. Another is encrusted with
circles of gold wire and beads of gold that look like pearls.
In financial terms, the anonymous finder has struck gold in every sense. A
single, similar item - the Newark torc - was sold for �350,000 in 2006,
suggesting that treasure trove of well in excess of �1 million will soon be
paid by the Crown.
A spokesman for NMS, whose experts are studying the find, said that a value
would be determined by the independent Scottish Archaeological Finds
Allocation Panel early next year. "The finder is normally rewarded with the
current market value," he added.
For archaeologists, monetary matters pale against the historical
significance of the torcs, which probably date from between the 1st and 3rd
centuries BC. Intriguingly, the Stirling find appears to reveal links
between local tribes - traditionally seen as isolated - and other Iron Age
people in Europe. Goldwork of roughly equivalent design has been discovered
near Toulouse, in the South of France, a connection suggesting that both
ideas and technology travelled over surprisingly large distances.
Ian Ralston, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh,
pointed out that the latest find comes eight years after an Iron Age cart
burial was unearthed at Newbridge in West Lothian. This high-status burial -
probably a chieftain and his chariot - was the first of its type to have
been found in Scotland, though similar interments took place from the
Atlantic coast of France to Hungary. "These two finds suggest tribes in what
we think of as 'Scotland' had rather wider links than archaeologists a
generation ago would have expected," Professor Ralston said. "They knew what
was going on elsewhere, valued similar things and emulated practice in
burials or votives.
"If you had said to me in 2000, what are the chances of a cart burial
turning up in Scotland, I would have said about zilch. If you had asked the
same question about a hoard of torcs near Stirling, I would have said about
zilch. Then these discoveries turn up and very quickly change perceptions of
the past."
He added that the find was the most significant in Scotland since 1857, when
two gold torcs were found on farmland in Morayshire.
Archaeologists divide over the reasons for the burial of hoards. One school
of thought believes that precious of objects would be hidden in time of war,
to be reclaimed later. However, Professor Ralston leans towards the theory
that the hoards were votives, offerings to the gods. Others hoards - such as
20 torcs discovered together at Snettisham, Norfolk - suggested many people
acting in concert and burying items together.
"The implication is that this stuff is consigned to the ground for higher
purposes. In Scottish terms this is a hugely significant deposit, but even
in European terms, four torcs together is very unusual," he said.
The jewellery probably belonged to members of a Celtic-speaking tribe,
Professor Ralston added. The same tribes would bind together to face Roman
invaders and would be called Caledonii by Tacitus, the historian, in the 1st
century AD.
In July a hoard of more than 1,000 golden Anglo Saxon items were unearthed
from a field in Staffordshire.
Val
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6901879.ece
>
> From The Times
> November 4, 2009
> £1m golden hoard rewrites history of ancient Scotland
> Mike Wade
>
> (Clara Molden/The Times)
> PHOTO:
> Four golden torcs similar to this - discovered in England in 1965 - have
> been found in a Stirlingshire field
WOW! Thank you much-I love visuals!
La N
I do too. That's why I tend to insert a photo reference when posting these
articles. I love reading about digs and coincidental findings that give
historical perspectives of a land. I'm amazed at how much people are still
able to unearth in Scotland WRT antiquities.
- nilita
Adam Whyte-Settlar
"La N" <nilita20...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6M8Im.50453$Db2.48289@edtnps83...
> An enthusiast with a metal detector has unearthed a �1 million hoard of
> Iron
> Age gold necklaces from a field near Stirling in a discovery that is set
> to
> revolutionise the way that historians view some of Scotland's ancient
> inhabitants.
Will that include Auld Bob do you think?
Robert Peffers
"Adam Whyte-Settlar" <ador@ble> wrote in message
news:14SdnfiNUPW_sm_X...@westnet.com.au...
--
Auld Bob
Adam Whyte-Settlar
> Val wrote:
>> On Nov 3, 10:00 pm, "La N" <nilita2004NOS...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6901879.ece
>>>
>>> From The Times
>>> November 4, 2009
>>> �1m golden hoard rewrites history of ancient Scotland
>>> Mike Wade
>>>
>>> (Clara Molden/The Times)
>>> PHOTO:
>>> Four golden torcs similar to this - discovered in England in 1965 -
>>> have been found in a Stirlingshire field
>> [...]
>>
>> WOW! Thank you much-I love visuals!
>
Can't figure out if anyone has posted a pic of the Stirling find yet but
just in case here's one
Sorry about the baldy dork. Torc about lucky.
(geddit!? TORC about lucky! nudge nudge. heh heh heh chortle chortle splork
etc etc.)
http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/dailyrecord3/nov2009/4/8/a-image-11-62832397.jpg
La N
The gold reflects off his shiny pate ....
Josiah Jenkins
wrote:
>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6901879.ece
>
>From The Times
>November 4, 2009
>�1m golden hoard rewrites history of ancient Scotland
>Mike Wade
Anyone else notice the byline ???
Who let him out the cellar ?
--
Val
> "La N" <nilita2004NOS...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
He's pretty revolutionary already, IMO!
The Phantom Piper
>
> (geddit!? TORC about lucky! nudge nudge.
> heh heh heh chortle chortle splork etc etc.)
I liked "necks and necks" much better, withal.
Joining In So It's Not Just You And The Crickets,
The Phantom Tumbleweed
Robert Peffers
"Val" <dzq...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:27038687-6636-4f84...@b25g2000prb.googlegroups.com...
Ach! Weel!
Just as long as I'm not thought to be actually revolting<G>
--
Auld Bob
Fifeshire Floozie
> "La N" <nilita20...@yahoo.com wrote:
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6901879.ece
>>
>>From The Times
>>November 4, 2009
>>�1m golden hoard rewrites history of ancient Scotland
>>Mike Wade
>
> Anyone else notice the byline ???
Aye. I've seen his name before on articles that were posted here Ian.
> Who let him out the cellar ?
Good question :)
