Hidden treasure: 'Butter-like gold' Bronze Age bracelet unearthed in Shropshire field by metal detectorist
Fascinating detail about ancient jewellery shared in report at treasure inquest
A “butter-like gold” bracelet from the Bronze Age has been unearthed in a Shropshire village.
The ancient piece of jewellery was discovered by metal detectorist Andy Hughes in a field in Cheswardine, near Market Drayton.
It is the latest Shropshire discovery to be declared as treasure at an inquest at Shropshire Coroner’s Court, Guildhall, Shrewsbury.
Peter Carey, finds liaison officer for Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, described it in his report as “a complete, partially misshapen, gold, penannular bar-bracelet dating to the late Bronze Age, circa 1300 to 800 BC.”
He said the item weighed 97.25 grams and that it was 82.7millimetres long and between 5.6mm and 5.9mm thick. If straightened out, it would be about 180mm long.
“There is no decoration visible on the surfaces,” Mr Carey said in the report. “The gold is a rich, homogenous, butter-like colour.
“There are minor scuffs, scratches and indentations visible across the surface including dents around the edges of the terminals.
“There are two oval-shaped nicks side by side on the interior facing surface of the bracelet, possibly done intentionally in order to test the metal content.”
He added: “Gold penannular bar-bracelets are typical of Bronze Age ornamentation. They are more commonly found with D-shaped cross sections, but other forms are known.”
Mr Carey said that similar examples had been found elsewhere in the UK, including at West Beach, West Sussex.
The bracelet is more than 300 years old and has more than 10 per cent precious metal content.
John Ellery, senior coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, therefore declared it treasure.
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