This is a neck ornament, which was traditionally worn in Celtic cultures to signify that the wearer had attained manhood or was a warrior. It was made by twisting a rod of square section and has been patterned with spirals, which are irregular in places and, in the centre, alternatively large and small. The ends of the rod are hammered smooth, tapered and turned back to hook together. Comparable pieces have been found in Ireland, where the finest gold items of the Bronze Age (c.1600-600 BC) were made. This torc was found in Carrowdore Bog on the Ards peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland.

Notes:  Bibliography: J. J. Taylor, 'Bronze age goldwork', 1980, p. 104 (CoDn 38).