Late Bronze Age penannular ring found at Crawley, Hampshire. Of circular sub-section with decorative banding in yellow and paler gold. Corrosion of the silver-rich stripes has caused blackening in places. The external surfaces are patchily worn. The gap

Late Bronze Age penannular ring found at Crawley, Hampshire. Of circular sub-section with decorative banding in yellow and paler gold. Corrosion of the silver-rich stripes has caused blackening in places. The external surfaces are patchily worn. The gap is bridged by green corrosion products probably deriving from a base metal core.

Penannular gold ring

Late Bronze Age, about 1150-750BC

Found by a metal detectorist at Crawley, Hampshire in 2005

This object is decorated in banding of yellow and paler gold. Corrosion of the silver-rich paler stripes has caused blackening in places. The gap in the circumference is today bridged by green corrosion products, probably deriving from the base metal core of the ring. The function of Bronze Age penannular rings in unknown, but it is likely they were some kind of high status jewellery. None have been discovered in burials which might provide clues as to how they were worn. Perhaps they were earrings or were worn in the hair? Whatever their function, gold penannular rings are evidence that metalworkers were highly skilled in using precious metals during the Bronze Age.

Late Bronze Age penannular ring found at Crawley, Hampshire. Of circular sub-section with decorative banding in yellow and paler gold. Corrosion of the silver-rich stripes has caused blackening in places. The external surfaces are patchily worn. The gap