Golden torc from the Broighter Hoard, found near Limavady, Northern Ireland. 1st century BC. [4032×3024]

The Broighter Hoard was discovered by farmers plowing a field near Limavady, in modern Northern Ireland in 1896. The hoard consisted of a variety of gold artifacts dating to the 1st c. BC, among which was this torc, one of the most remarkable ever found in Ireland. Torcs are a type of neck ring which were popular in many cultures across Europe during the Iron Age.

This particular example takes the shape of a hollow tube 19 cm in diameter. It was made of two pieces which were once connected by a hinge (top of the image) and a fastening (bottom of the image). Geometric shapes, plant motifs, and stylized horses and birds are incised into the surfaces.

The torc is unlike any others ever found in Ireland, having more in common with examples found in continental Europe, leading to speculation that the piece was made elsewhere, perhaps modified by craftsman in Ireland.

Today, it is on display in Dublin at the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology.