Ely Museum today announced that the funds needed to purchase the Great Gold Torc have been raised and it will find a home in Ely.
In all £220,000 was needed and the money came from generous grants and donations and they hope to have the Torc available for a permanent display in the autumn.
Dr Neil Watkins from the British Museum recently gave an interesting lecture regarding the history of the Torc, regarded as one of the most significant finds for such an item in England. The Torc may have been worn by a pregnant woman in England 3,000 years ago. It is almost pure gold and was thought to be all the fashion 30 centuries ago.
It weighs 730 grams and was found by a lucky unnamed metal detectorist within 50 miles of Must Farm, a significant Bronze Age Village near Whittlesey but the exact location is not being released. It is believed to be within the East Cambridgeshire region.
The pattern of the Torc resembles one found in 1844 at Grunty Fen. Dr Watkins describes the craftsmanship as astonishing and it was made from a bar of gold which was then twisted and burnished. Every gap between each twist is precisely measured.
The Museum told Spotted in Ely that events will be held to welcome the Torc and give educational insights about the object once acquired but in the meantime to help raise funds for exhibition stands and events please do so by going to https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/6790#/DonationDetails. Details of the events will appear in Spotted in Ely’s Event Calendar as they are released.
