Treasure found in North-East Wales

Eight treasure finds, including a Bronze Age gold ornament, medieval finger rings and post-medieval coin groups and finger rings, were declared treasure on Tuesday 21 March 2023 by Kate Sutherland, Assistant Coroner for North Wales. The most significant of these finds was a Bronze Age gold lock-ring which was unearthed by detectorist Chris Wood in a field in Holt Community, Wrexham.

It dates to the Late Bronze Age (1000-800 BCE) and is  is decorated with intricate concentric circular lines. It would have been used as a high-status ornament, possibly in the hair.

Dr Susie White, PAS Cymru Finds Officer for North Wales said “As soon as the finder contacted me about this object, I knew it was something special.  Objects like this don’t turn up very often and this is a first for me. It was really nice to be able to record something so beautiful, even in its slightly crumpled state“

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales has expressed an interest in acquiring this treasure find. Adam Gwilt, Principal Curator for Prehistory at the Museum said “The quality of the decoration on this artefact is impressive and it begs the question ‘how did its maker, an expert goldsmith, manage to expertly hand scribe seventy-nine concentric circles on a gold sheet just four centimetres wide?’. The resulting visual effect, created across the surface of this golden ornament, suggests this was once a highly valued possession. It would have marked out the wearer, female or male, to be a well-connected person of high standing within their community“