Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Material: Gold Copper alloy
Found: Cwm Cadnant, Isle of Anglesey, Isle of Anglesey (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Late Bronze Age hoard of five objects.




1. Penannular ring (PRN 32821)
Maximum external diameter (side to side) 19.5mm; maximum diameter of bar (top to bottom) 6.3-6.5mm; weight 18.75g.



This is a complete and small penannular ring decorated with a silvery gold inlayed strip. The ring is of solid gold bar construction and was made of a straight, round sectioned bar, which was bent round into a penannular shape. Around the gold core, a silvery strip was inlaid in continuous spiral fashion to provide a striped colour effect, with seven stripes around each face. The silvery gold stripes are relatively wide, 1.3mm wide on the interior side and 3.0-3.5mm wide on the exterior surface. They are visible as darker areas of surface pitting, caused by the differential corrosion of the silver within this alloy. One side of the ring has been differentially worn during its life and the inset stripes of silvery gold have completely worn away, exposing continuous areas of gold. Some striations on the outer surfaces of the penannular ring were probably caused after burial and during more recent disturbance in the soil.




2. Plano-convex ingot / cake fragment



Maximum surviving length 63.3mm; maximum surviving width 60.9mm; maximum thickness

31.2mm; surviving weight 412.8g.



Sizeable fragment of ingot with worn upper and lower surfaces and rounded worn breaks. The lower surface is convex in shape and the upper surface is relatively flat. No edge sections are apparent, but distinct thinning evident in two areas in side-section, suggesting areas approaching edges of ingot. Some interior vesicles evident along breaks. Brown patination with areas of green mottling visible.



3. Small ingot / cake fragment



Maximum surviving length 39.6mm; maximum surviving width 28.7mm; maximum surviving thickness 14.8mm; surviving weight 53.0g.



Small and irregularly shaped copper alloy fragment, with no clear evidence of original ingot shape. One surface is convex, the other irregular. All surfaces and breaks are worn. Patches of brown patination within overall grey green patination.



4. Ingot / cake fragment



Maximum surviving length 30.2mm; maximum surviving width 29.2mm; maximum surviving thickness 14.9mm; surviving weight 37.9g.



Small and irregularly shaped copper alloy fragment, with no clear evidence of original ingot shape. One surface is reasonably flat, the other irregular. All surfaces and breaks are worn. Vesicles visible in side breaks. Patches of grey green patination within overall brown patination.



5. Spatulate ended tool (PAS 2013/028/001)



Length 79.5mm; width of spatulate end 5.3mm; weight 25.3g.



This is a square-sectioned copper alloy tool with a flat top. It tapers and thins at the opposite end, in both planes, expanding again slightly to form a spatulate shaped working end. This has a rounded, but asymmetric end profile. The tool bends in side view, from near the midpoint along its length and towards the spatulate shaped working end. Surfaces are etched with a brown patination and there are localised surface grey-green coloured corrosion patches.



The penannular ring belongs to a class of artefact which has been termed 'hair-rings' and 'ring-money' (Taylor 1980; Green 1988; Eogan 1994; 1997; Varndell 2001; Hobbs 2003; Meeks et al 2008; O'Connor et al 2008). Their function remains uncertain, although it is likely that they were personal adornments, possibly worn on the ears or nose, rather than being hair-ornaments or items of exchange. Relatively few examples have been dated through associated finds, archaeological investigation or radiocarbon dating, however burials in Belgium, northeast France and The Netherlands and secondly, Scottish and Irish hoard associations, have suggested a date belonging to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age, between 1000-800BC (e.g. Eogan 1997). However, in recent years, the evidence for their earlier development and longer period of manufacture and circulation has been growing (e.g. Raftery 2004, 87-8; Needham 2007, 26-33, Figs. 17.3-4). Therefore, on comparative stylistic grounds, the penannular ring may be dated to the Middle or Late Bronze Age (1300-800BC).



It is possible to be confident that the large ingot fragment (No. 2 above) is part of a plano-convex ingot or cake of Late Bronze Age date. Its convex underside, thinning to margins indicating an oval shape in plan view and of a size consistent with others viewed, together with the presence of interior vesicles, provide some morphological support for this identification. Moreover, metallurgical analysis has demonstrated the ingot to be of copper with a small lead component and trace antimony and arsenic presences, again consistent with other recently tested Late Bronze Age ingot discoveries from west Wales. Its worn surfaces and breaks suggest that the ingot was disturbed from its original burial context by recent farming activity, having eroded at a shallow depth (10-13cm) within a cultivated and aerated soil for some time. The same disturbed and dispersed location is likely to be true for the penannular ring, also found at shallow depth (7-8cm). However, being of gold, this artefact was not prone to erosion and corrosion in the same way.



The two probable small ingot fragments (Nos. 3 & 4) are not large enough to retain diagnostic morphological features, permitting certain identification as plano-convex ingots in their own right. However, the presence of interior vesicles and very similar worn state is consistent with the larger ingot fragment, and their geographical location within the same field and less than 200m apart do tend to support their identification as probable small plano-convex ingot fragments of Late Bronze Age date. Their metallurgical composition - copper with small lead components and trace antimony and arsenic presences - is also the same as that of the large ingot fragment (No. 2), providing further supporting evidence for this interpretation. Their dispersal from each other and the penannular ring and their worn state also suggest relatively recent disturbance from the original burial context, and erosion at shallow depths (10-13cm) within a cultivated and aerated soil.



Cake ingots are known in hoards of the Wilburton phase of the Late Bronze Age (1150-950 BC), with examples from Wales found within the Guilsfield, Powys hoard (Savory 1965; 1980, 117-8, Cat. 268 & Fig. 38). However, plano-convex ingots of copper and bronze are much more common components of Ewart Park hoards of the Late Bronze Age (1000-800 BC). Over 40 Ewart Park hoards, mostly from East Anglia, Essex and Kent, reported as treasure between 2003 and 2008 have contained plano-convex ingots (also termed cake ingots and bun-shaped ingots) (DCMS 2004; 2007; British Museum 2008; 2009; 2010). In south-east Wales, the Cowbridge, Glascoed, Llancarfan 1 and St Nicholas hoards have contained plano-convex bronze ingot fragments as a minority element represented within them (Gwilt 2004b; 2008). In the light of the dating evidence for plano-convex ingots, the combined evidence suggests that the penannular ring and ingots were probably buried together as a hoard during the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age (1000-800 BC). In other words, both penannular rings and plano-convex ingots were being made and in circulation at this same time.

The spatulate ended tool (No. 5 above; PAS (GAT) 2013/028/001) with a square-sectioned shaft, discovered and reported subsequently to the penannular ring and ingots and from the north east corner of the same field, has proven impossible, at the current time, to relate and parallel with similar artefacts of demonstrable Late Bronze Age date. Metallurgical analysis has indicated it is made of copper, with a significant presence of bismuth. While copper is potentially consistent with a Late Bronze Age date, the presence of bismuth at the levels seen is felt to be anomalous for this period, making a post-medieval date more likely. On the current balance of evidence, this artefact cannot be confidently interpreted as once a directly associated and a contemporary component of this Late Bronze Age hoard.



~~The spatulate ended tool (No. 5) cannot, on the balance of the evidence available, be associated with the hoard: no close Late Bronze Age parallels can be found, while its metal composition does not match the ingots (Nos. 2-4) or the common signature of Late Bronze Age artefact signatures. Therefore, it is my opinion that this object cannot be considered as treasure.
Notes: Metallurgical analysis (MD & AG)



Results



The penannular ring had a composition of approximately 78.5% gold, 17.5% silver and 3% copper.

The three ingot fragments were found to be of copper, with small lead components and trace arsenic and antimony presences. The spatulate ended tool was of copper, with a presence of bismuth detected.



Interpretation



The composition of the penannular ring was consistent with comparable Middle to Late Bronze Age gold compositions, with small amounts of copper deliberately alloyed with the gold at this time to improve its colour properties. The approximately 3% of copper detected suggests it registered from within the gold and is consistent with the suggestion that the ring is of solid gold bar construction.



Copper with a small lead component is a typical composition for plano-convex ingots of Late Bronze Age date and paralleled in many Late Bronze Age hoards containing an ingot component. The absence of zinc within any of the ingots provides no evidence to support a Roman or later date of manufacture.



The level of bismuth registering within the spatulate ended tool is regarded as being too high for a metal of Late Bronze Age date. This composition is more characteristic of an artefact and technology of probable post-medieval date.
Subsequent action: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure