Those of you who've been torc watchers for some time may remember the 'they were chewing gold at #Snettisham' torcs.

Having now looked at these in the flesh & under a microscope, it's still in the frame. I also showed the photos to someone with a lot of experience of forensic dentistry, and they too thought it was likely (photo caveats apply).

Watch this space... next steps will be to hopefully get moulds and look at them properly. Another for the To Do list...

#Archaeology #Gold #Prehistory

Prompted by @tess_machling - more messing about with #lidar data from the UK Environment Agency's National LIDAR Programme, this time with renders of the area around #Snettisham, #Norfolk.

Landscape is ... quite flat, so I experimented with lighting and surface shading to accentuate even the most subtle surface details.

Made with GDAL, Photoshop and Modo - it's definitely not a standard lidar pipeline...

Jumbo-sized renders:

https://hylobatidae.org/misc/lidar/snettisham_1_fz_dsm_large.jpg

https://hylobatidae.org/misc/lidar/snettisham_1_dtm_large.jpg

#scivis

That thing when you post about a #torc you've been looking at & suddenly look at photo close up & realise that, yes, the thing attached to this torc *also* has crap dripped on it, just like so much of the stuff attached/used to repair/added to torcs, but never the complete torcs.

Yet another example of how they were mixing & matching #Snettisham hoards. Honestly, these hoard deposits happened quick - really, really, really quick.

More here: https://bigbookoftorcs.com/2020/09/22/thoughts-on-the-grotesque-torc/

#Archaeology #Prehistory

Working with the "everything is 0.000001% #gold " theory, it would take the following number of melted tomatoes to make one #Snettisham Great #torc :

Oh hang on...

Wait a minute...

Ok, forget that...

We just flog this little selection on Ebay and we'll get the £40k needed instead. 😉🤣🤣

#Brexit #Tomatoes #Archaeology

Searching for #gold stuff and came across a link to this on Pinterest...

A new #torc ! And the same cage terminals as a broken one from #Snettisham (the only other known example of this type).

Except this one has zero provenance of when and where it was found and was sold from a private collection - at Christies in 2013 - to a private buyer.

Sigh...I often wonder how many more there are out there???

So depressing...

#Archaeology #Prehistory

3 years ago today, we started The Big Book of Torcs.

We've had 10,129 visitors from 58 #countries (2/3 from #UK) who've read 18,070 pages. Averaging +3000 visitors/year.

Independently peer reviewed paper on Grotesque #torc: 2843 visits. Blogs have done well, with #Snettisham Torc Finders blog: 1538 reads. Near Stowmarket torc piece: 1880. Every page has +300 reads.

I continue to be amazed. It's certainly the way to get research out - here's to 2023! ❤️

http://bigbookoftorcs.com

#Archaeology

As it's #ChristmasEve, I thought I'd share one of my favourite #torcs with you - not glitzy & #silver rich alloy, rather than #gold, but masterpiece in understated skill. It's from #Snettisham & made from two hammered rods twisted together.

One of those objects that looks easy - then you realise that there's an immense amount of experience & knowledge goes into a piece like this!! ❤️

BTW I'll be about for #JoinIn tomorrow if you fancy a chat. It's good to torc!

#Archaeology

📷 #BritishMuseum

Swan in the mist this morning st Snettisham
#Swans #Snettisham #Rivers

Swan in the mist this morning st Snettisham
#Swans #Snettisham #Rivers

Ok, those of you who followed me on twitter will know about this, but for those of you who didn't:

I want you to think about when you're idling with a piece of foil - you know, like the little cases you get on #MincePies - that you kind of fold & refold & they still won't go flat, & so...

... you bite it!

Well, there's a distinct possibility that, for whatever bonkers reason, someone was doing this with #Snettisham #torcs 2300 yrs ago!!

The #IronAge: it's weird!! 🤣

#Archaeology #Prehistory

Sooooo... either my instance has blocked a big instance or my blatant pro-trans stance today has considerably reduced my follower account!!

Ah, well, folks. Not to worry... it ain't all torc talk - there's other important stuff to mention too, so you're best gone if you can't handle it tbh!!! 😂

For those that remain... here's a lovely bit of exclusive torc for you! A close-up of the #Snettisham Great torc. ❤️

#Archaeology #Gold #Norfolk

Random #torc fact of the day.

The #Snettisham Great torc was made entirely from a lump of gold alloy, c.43mm x 43mm x 43mm, that sits comfortably in the palm of your hand.....

#Archaeology #gold #prehistory #Norfolk

Part 2 - This is my #illustration of the top of the bronze Late La Tene #IronAge #scabbard from #Congham #Norfolk ,It was a rare find from a wet deposit in woodland, where it may have been an offering to the gods, it had been folded in two possibly to ritually kill the object, a practice often found with weapons. The decoration is similar to that found on the objects in the famous #Snettisham treasure hoard also from West of Norfolk. #archaeology #LaTene #design #Celtic #weapon #history

I made these years ago as a way of comparing the decoration on the #Netherurd #Newark , #Sedgeford and the #Snettisham Great Torc

But it's just rather pretty in its own right!

Happy Friday folks! 😊

#Archaeology #Prehistory #Gold #Norfolk #Nottinghamshire #Scotland

The #Clevedon torc terminal which can be seen at the #BritishMuseum.

This #torc has always puzzled folks as it appears to show Stage1/2 c.4thC BC motifs on the side, but later Stage V c.1stC BC motifs on the face. This has been assumed to be indicative of longevity of art styles...

... but what if the terminal is actually a cut down torus torc of #Snettisham / #Netherurd variety, remodelled in the later Iron Age?

#Archaeology #Prehistory #Gold

Ok folks, I think you're ready for the #goldfinch equivalence!

Not many folks know that every living thing is 0.00001% #gold (yes, really - including humans!!)

Therefore, if you...um...'extracted' the gold you could, theoretically, make a #torc.

Soooo, by that logic, 7,588,000,000 goldfinches would get you enough gold for a #Snettisham Great torc.

[It would also get you a fully deserved telling off from the RSPB! 🤣]

#Archaeology #AmazingFacts #Saturday

Welcome to torc equivalents (usually #goldfinches, but for the uninitiated, I'll leave that for another day!)

Meet Heinz 57 (pedigree name: British #Museum 1991,0501.45). Now, if I tell you this little #Snettisham beauty measures 44 x 43mm, you'll visualise it - but if I tell you it weighs 22g, you'll look at me quizzically.

However, if I say it's the same weight as a multipack bag of #MonsterMunch (flavour of your choice), then you'll know exactly what I mean!!! 🤣

#Archaeology #Gold #Torcs

Good morning and happy #Wednesday everyone! Today’s post was the result of me fiddling with my camera settings and messing up my white balance. Yet I decided to keep the #photo as it was more interesting than the ‘actual’ greys. Taken at #Snettisham #Norfolk

For a #bird #photo today I stay with #Snettisham #Norfolk to show the thousands of #waders (mainly Knot here) huddled together on the inland pools. Sorry ☺️, you may have to work with this one and zoom in or stretch out the image 🤔😬😀. I hope you enjoy the result! #NorfolkWildlife #NorfolkBirds #NorfolkBirding #NorthNorfolk #Nature #wildlife #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #birding #birds #bird #BirdPhotography #Birder #BirdwatchingPhotography
#BritishBirds​#UkBirds​

#Snettisham #Norfolk #waders on the move. As you can hear it’s a #bird paradise and a #BirdPhotogaphy magnet. #NaturePhotography #wildlife #nature #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #birding #birds #Birder #UkBirds #BirdwatchingPhotography #BritishBirds​​