Now Ely Museum has found the £220,000 needed to acquire torc, the talk will be about the detectorist and land owner who’ll share the cash
The gold torc found near Ely and that will now go in display at Ely Museum in the autumn following a successful appeal - Credit: Archant
A Bronze Age torc - one of the largest found in Britain and unearthed by metal detectorists in a Fordham field – is to go on show to the public after Ely Museum raised £220,000 to buy it.
“Thanks to all your kind donations (offline as well as online) we have now reached our target,” said a museum spokesman.
“We hope to have the torc on display this autumn. If you would still like to donate, contributions towards display costs are gratefully received.”
An exceptional example of a Middle Bronze Age four-flange twisted gold bar torc the prized discovery was made on September 26, 2015. It weighs in at 732 grams (of almost pure gold) and measures 126.5 cm in length.
Main donors to the appeal are the National Heritage Memorial Fund who have offered £150,000 towards the purchase of the torc and the V&A Purchase Grant who have offered an additional £40,000. The museum has also received two smaller grants from other funders.
Neil Wilkin, curator of Bronze Age Europe at the British Museum has described the workmanship as “astonishing”.
Museum officials believe the torc may have been worn by pregnant women as a form or protection, or used to ornament a sacrificial animal.
Most Read
- 1 21st century agreement on future of 17th century pub
- 2 ‘It’s sadly coming to a natural end’ - restaurant to close its doors by August
- 3 ‘It’s been very rewarding’ - Letizia amazed by support for La Strega
- 4 New bid for housing thwarted by Great Crested Newts
- 5 Village barn struck by arsonists in 4am blaze
- 6 Change of plan for A142 Mepal bridge works as July closures announced
- 7 Axing BBC TV news from Cambridge 'a backward step' says MP
- 8 Littleport 'hit and run' on Victoria Street
- 9 Explained: What the cost of living support package means for you
- 10 Florist 'busier than ever' hoping to build from lockdown success
The land owner and the finder will share the money.