The Mysterious Golden Bangle

Recently in the UK, a detectorist unearthed a rather magnificent artefact, this being a 12mm thick gold bangle weighing in at 310gm and measuring 240mm across.

- Billy Vaughan

Introduction

Recently in the UK, a detectorist unearthed a rather magnificent artefact, this being a 12mm thick gold bangle weighing in at 310gm and measuring 240mm across. Clearly, it was of some antiquity and most people would probably agree with it being attributed to the Bronze Age. Most gold artifacts from that period can be rather sparse when it comes to decoration – the punch mark design featured on this bangle is more commonly seen in the Viking period. (One only has to look at the various fragments and artefacts found in the Cuerdale Hoard to see many examples of this design.) So whilst this bangle is most likely Bronze Age in date, there is always the possibility that it was found a 1000 or more years later and then decorated in the Viking style.

Whilst the artefact is most likely Bronze Age in date, there is, of course, the possibility that a Bronze Age bangle could have been found a thousand or more years later and then decorated in the Viking style.