Torcs: an analysis of the prized early-Celtic neck rings and their significance in religion and hierarchy
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Abstract
[In 1948, a farmer began ploughing a lavender field near Snettisham in Norfolk County for the planting of cereals, when he found something unfamiliar. The first of many deposits of early Celtic torcs became unearthed, embellished with intricate La Tène designs. This “Great Torc,” discovered by the farmer, is a remarkably intact gold alloy piece, which stands as a testimony to the wealth and lavishness of La Tène culture. Archaeologists dated the site to the mid-1st century BCE with the assistance of an Iron Age coin and bracelet buried alongside the torc. Torcs are large metal neck rings, normally constructed with an opening on one end. Beginning as simple strands of twisted metal during the emergence of the European Iron Age, torcs gradually evolved into more complex designs and often embraced artistic motifs native to particular regions. But who buried such priceless pieces of gold and silver, and what do their artistic skills indicate with reference to La Tène social hierarchy, religious life, and mythology?]