Gold torc, Scotland

This gold torc is part of the Law Farm Hoard found during spring ploughing in 1857 in Moray, Scotland. The hoard has been described as the ‘richest gold find from Bronze Age Scotland’ and contained at least 36 torcs.

Ten of these torcs are held in museums in Scotland, seven in the British Museum, and two in the Pitt Rivers Museum.

This type is known a 'ribbon torc', and has a left-hand spiral twist with hook ends. It is quite small, suggesting it was worn around the arm or wrist rather than as a neck ornament. Ribbon torcs date to the Middle Bronze Age (1400 to 1100BC) at the earliest, and the Iron Age (300 to 100BC) at the latest.

Accession number: PRM Founding Collection; 1884.78.26