Towton torcs | |
Material: | Gold, silver, and copper |
Period: | Iron Age Britain |
Discovered Date: | 2010 and 2011 |
Discovered Place: | Towton, North Yorkshire |
Location: | Yorkshire Museum, York |
Id: | SWYOR-CFE7F7 |
The Towton torcs are a pair of gold bracelets from Towton, North Yorkshire, England, dating from the later Iron Age.
The torcs were found by metal detectorists in a stream in 2010 and 2011.[1]
Both torcs are gold alloys and formed from a twisted wire with looped terminals. The first torc discovered comprised a twisted wire of two strands, the second had four strands. The first torc measured 75.1mm in diameter, weighed 67.7g. It had a metal content of 80-84% gold; 12-14% silver; and at least 4% copper.[2]
After being declared as treasure, the Yorkshire Museum launched a public funding campaign to raise the £60,000 required to purchase the torcs.[3] The torcs were acquired by the museum in November 2013.[4]