The Late Bronze Age hoard of two ‘lock’ gold rings were discovered in the Community of Rosset. The wearer would’ve been a person of wealth and status within Late Bronze Age Society, between 10000 and 800BC.
In terms of their use, archaeologists aren’t certain whether they were used as ear-rings or worn to gather locks of hair, as the name suggests.
In Wales, lock-rings have previously been found at Gaerwen, Anglesey, the Great Orme, Conwy and Newport, Pembrokeshire.
This largely coastal pattern hints at possible trading and communication links between Late Bronze Age communities living in Wales and Ireland....
itv.com/news/wales/2015-03-26/ancient-gold-artefacts-uncovered-in-north-wales/
Further information...
Aren't those amazing. How on earth could they create such precise tiny patterns? I wonder if they had something like the magnifying crystal in The Secret Of Kells*. But if so, why haven't we found such a thing? I wish my eyesight was so good. And imagine the work to obtain even that much gold, let alone work it into this. Everything is so easy to us / or is it that we're so abstracted from everything we literally have no idea.
*well worth seeing if you haven't
My guess is children, young and nimble fingers ;). When ever I look online at some of those fabulous A/S brooches, the detail is very fine. Crystals are something to think about, there is a A/S crystal (quartz) ball from Maidstone, but I have never heard of them as a magnifying glass.
I just wondered with the Bronze Age lock ring, if it was very fine gold wire welded but that seems wrong......
Clever you, it seems you get both sorts, welded wire and incised lines.
finds.org.uk/guides/bronzeage/objects/lock-rings
And are they really for hair? they don't seem convincing as hair ornaments or earrings (why the split bit? Maybe something that's rotted is missing and putting us off the scent).
Those anglo-saxon brooches are amazing. At least they must have had better metal saws then, presumably? mmm one day I must have a go at jewellery making. portable art (and status) isn't it.