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

Having ground to a halt with a couple of other projects (one day we'll get the data we need... but until then, all kinds of fun with #torc deposition distribution will have to wait) I've been messing about with this - it & its broken buddy are intriguing.

Looks like we've found 2 more torcs made by the same person & an unusual #metalworking technique.

#Archaeology #Prehistory #Gold

📷 British Museum

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

Last chance to book tickets for mine and Roll's Talk #Torc on Saturday in #Newark!

We're going to be taking a light-hearted look at our torc work and talking about the ups - and downs - of The Torc Odyssey!
http://www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com/seedo/events/the-torc-talk.php

#Archaeology #Gold #lecture #ThingsToDo #Saturday

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

@cagedbeatnik here are a couple of pictures. The first is of Zennor Quoit from Craig Weatherhill's Cornovia (essential), the other is by Andy Norfolk and shows Chûn Quoit, it's from Cheryl Straffon's West Penwith guide.

Bonus #torc for @tess_machling in the latter.

For #BoxingDay I give you...

...a #torc in a box from the Somerset hoard from County #Galway, #Ireland, of course!! 😊

"The torc is now bent into a double-coiled spiral: it is stated to have been found in this condition within a box"

From:https://www-jstor-org.libproxy.ucl.ac.uk/stable/25509378#metadata_info_tab_contents

#Archaeology #Prehistory

Yesterday, I told you the #IronAge was weird.... well, here's the categorical proof!

Yes, a #Torc with a knot in it! Yes, it would appear it's an Iron Age knot. We have absolutely no idea why someone would tie a knot in a torc (there aren't other known examples), but my suspicion is it was done because they could - this is not easy thing to do & my gut feeling is this is a goldsmith showing off their skill set.

But whatever it is, I love it! ❤️

#Archaeology #Gold #Torcs

📷 British Museum

The Torc Odyssey that Roll & I have been on started with the Newark #torc. Throughout our journey there have been setbacks & revelations- but above all, there's been friends made & knowledge gained.

So if you want to learn how horse x-ray kit doesn't work on torcs - or how to scare curators with torc demonstrations using fruit - then get yourself along to #Newark on Sat 14th #January & we'll tell you all about it.
http://www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com/seedo/events/the-torc-talk.php

#Archaeology #Gold #TorcTuesday #Prehistory #Lecture

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

A thing I wanted to say before I forget (again) - not all independent researchers are like Graham Hancock etc.

I'm an indie researcher. I have a degree & PhD in #archaeology & I've been employed as an arch for 35 years, but all our #torc #research is indie - we have no uni affiliation, no funding, no backers.

We peer-review publish, we network, attend conferences, we pick up a little cash from lecturing & have had help in kind, but in the end, it's Roll & I and a lot of hard work! 😊

Sad to say, I agree with this.

In #torc #research , we still produce peer-reviewed journal papers (tbh to maintain our academic credibility) but find it more & more restrictive as means of disseminating work - paywalls, image rights costs, restricted number of images, way you can't really bounce ideas about.

Why we created http://www.bigbookoftorcs.com , why we produce indie peer reviewed papers, use blogs, magazines, social media to get our work out there.

#Archaeology

https://experimentalhistory.substack.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-peer-review

Another #torc up close & personal - this time #Clevedon torc from #Somerset .

This is a buffer terminal - called such because, with flat end, it looks a bit like a train buffer. This torc is about 35mm diameter & 27mm high. It weighs 34g (so about 3 x £1 coins). The decoration is in lower relief than other torcs & it is generally more delicate.

But again, despite looks, this is a sturdy thing & you're surprised at weight in your hand.

#Archaeology #Gold #Prehistory

https://youtu.be/lAdI0QJjySw

Bit of exclusive content. A video of what #Netherurd #torc terminal is like, up close.

Terminal is 62mm tall, 53mm across & 29mm deep. It weighs 114g (that's 13 x £1 coins, or 10 x £2 coins) & gold is only about 0.7mm thick. As you turn it in your hand, it's rigid, solid, heavy. Decoration is prominent & raised segments, tooling & dummy rivets feel like a landscape. The light plays as you move it. But the weight is the thing - for its size, it's heavy.

#Archaeology

https://youtu.be/8VbejZsYJGY

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

@tess_machling I shall, thank you for all the interesting info. Shame it’s called Heinz 57, “The Smartie Torc Terminal” has such a lovely ring to it, it could be straight out of a China Miéville novel. #Torc #NorwichMuseum #Norwich

Yay, its #WaterfallWednesday !

https://pixelfed.social/i/web/post/503384482189975648

This is the #Torc #Waterfall in #Killarney National Park, #Ireland.
Well, at least the upper part.

Love me those #FortyShadesOfGreen 🥰

#nature #photography #landscape #waterfalls #fotografie #landschaft #wasserfall #KillarneyNationalpark

If anyone is in the vicinity of Newark (the UK one!!) on Saturday 14th January 2023, and fancies coming to hear myself and Roland talk about the Newark torc, then you can!!!

Booking details:

http://www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com/seedo/events/the-torc-talk.php

#Archaeology #Gold #Torc #Research #lecture #meeting #event