Temporary Export Bar on Bronze Age Gold

Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 30 January 2002 Page Views: 957

ARTS MINISTER PLACES TEMPORARY EXPORT BAR ON A PAIR OF LATE BRONZE AGE GOLD HAIR RINGS

Minister of State for the Arts, Tessa Blackstone, has placed a temporary bar on the export of a pair of Late Bronze Age gold hair rings, c.1100-750 BC. This will provide a last chance to raise the money to keep the rings in the United Kingdom.

The Minister's ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art that the export decision be deferred. This reflects the outstanding significance of the rings for the understanding of the technical artistry of the insular Late Bronze Age gold-workers.

The deferral will enable purchase offers to be made at or above the following recommended price:

A pair of Late Bronze Age gold hair rings, c.1100-750, deferred at the recommended price of £4,000, until after 22 February 2002. The deferral period could be extended until after 22 March 2002 if there is a serious intention to raise funds with a view to making an offer to purchase.

Anyone interested in making an offer to purchase the rings should contact the owner's agent through:

The Secretary
The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH

One ring is 39 mm in external diameter, 19.5 mm internally and 13 mm broad; the other ring is respectively 36 mm, 18.5 mm and 11.5 mm. They weigh 5 g each.

The two rings are very similar in morphology, size and technology, but differ in decorative treatment. They belong to an established type constructed from three thin sheets of gold linked together to form a hollow triangular section around a keyhole aperture. The inner plate, curved to form the central cylinder of the aperture, is angled back and tapered at each end to close off the triangular terminals of the ring. A tight, neat fold along each of the long sides of the inner plate binds it to the two face-plates which are in turn sealed along the circumference by a fine, fused beading, approximately 0.8 mm thick.

One ring is essentially plain, with the only decoration comprising four rows of punched dots on its inner plate, extending onto the terminals. The fragmentary inner plate of the second ring replicates this decorative element. However, one of its faces is wholly covered with a geometric design in the manner of basketry. This has been executed so subtly and with very fine tools that the overall effect is to interfere with the play of light across this surface, rather than to present a design as such.

This type of ring constitutes a relatively rare artefact type. Its
incidence, when made of gold, is confined to Britain and Ireland, the Irish examples mainly forming a separate sub-style, with characteristics not shared by mainland finds such as these rings. The 'basketry' decoration on one of this pair is exceptional, as only one previous find, from County Durham, seems to match this schema, but differs in having a fringe of alternately filled triangles outside the 'basketry' panel.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
http://www.culture.gov.uk

Note: Anyone with £4000 and a passion for Bronze Age jewellery?

Contributor Bio for Andy B: Megalithic Portal Founding Editor.

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