Prehistoric bling from an age of gold
Last updated 05:38, Friday, 08 August 2008
Many of us are familiar with Prehistory being referred to as the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, but a Gold Age?
This decorated gold neck ring on display in Tullie House suggests that there should probably be a Gold Age too. Found in Cockermouth on a site of a prehistoric settlement, it’s astonishing to think one of our millennium’s most valuable resources was available to – and probably even more powerful for – our Prehistoric Cumbrian ancestors.
Dating from (in this case the unhelpfully titled) Bronze Age the richness of the neckring suggests that its owner must have been very powerful.
Not only did this person own an ornament that even by today’s standards would be expensive, they must also have been able to make influential links outside of Cumbria just to be able to own something not available in this part of Britain.
Research about the neckring suggests that the decoration has an Irish influence, and as gold was also mined in Ireland, it is some evidence for the trade that existed between Ireland and Britain at this time.
Despite this, gold jewellery of this style and age are still considered to be rare, with only two other similar items found in this part of Cumbria to date. Perhaps we can say that this person was one of the first Cumbrian wearers of bling.
The neckring can seen on Tullie House’s newly-updated story writing website www.onceuponawebsite.co.uk and will feature in Prehistoric Bling, a talk by Tim Padley the keeper of archaeology at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery on Tuesday, September 2 at 1pm.
Admission is free and all are welcome.
