Winchester hoard

The body of this gold torc is formed from interlinked wire rings. Look closely before treating it as one continuous band. At the ends, filigree made from fine wire meets granulation, made from tiny grains of gold. The torc is a neck ring, dated to about 75–25 BC. It belongs to the Winchester hoard. Small repeated elements create the body, while other techniques concentrate the decoration at the terminals. Try tracing one link, then follow how it meets its neighbours. The gold has been assembled into something that can curve around a neck. This torc is one object from the Winchester assemblage, whose other pieces have their own display histories. It entered the Museum under the Treasure Act. Its linked construction preserves the maker’s handling of gold wire as clearly as its finished outline preserves the shape intended for a wearer.