The British Museum

Torc Terminal Iron Age 8107 Bud & Crescent Cufflinks, Ø2cm

The Witham Shield Iron Age 8608 Witham Shield Pendant, Ø4.5cm

8107

8608

A fashion accessory 2,000 years ago, the torc or neck ring was worn across much of Europe. Made of metal, it was probably an heirloom object, and a visible symbol of wealth and power. The face of the terminal is surrounded with a ridge and is delicately ornamented in La Tène style. The curving lines and circular forms of the terminal are reimagined on a pair of cufflinks, a staple of the modern gentleman’s wardrobe.

An iconic Iron Age object discovered in the River Witham, the motifs on the beautiful metal facing from this shield epitomise the rise of what is now known as Celtic art in Britain. At the top and bottom of the central spine is a roundel framed by a decorative design made up of a wavy, raised line which ends in a pair of comma-shaped repoussé motifs. Below these is an abstract animal head. The pendant borrows from the intricate design around the roundel.

Gold torc terminal, Iron Age, 150 - 50 BC, Clevedon, England, British Museum AF.412, bequeathed by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks

The Witham Shield, Iron Age, 300 - 200 BC, River Witham, England, British Museum 1872,1213.1

A N C I E N T T R E A S U R E S

A N C I E N T T R E A S U R E S