ROMAN JEWELLERY

Treasure Case 2009 T40 "A small sheet gold object originally of hollow sub-conical shape but now irregularly flattened and slightly damaged. At the broader end a plain rim is followed by a series of concave mouldings interspersed with thin bands of fine dot-punching and two rows of circular pellets. A zone of incised interlocking lentil and diamond motifs is followed by further bands of pellets, dot-punching and simple mouldings terminating in a slightly torn plain rim with an internal diameter of c. 2 mm. The function of the object, probably a component of Roman jewellery, is uncertain. It may be a decorative collar from the terminal of a gold necklace chain. More probably it is a broken variant of the 'Hercules club' type of ear-ring, an identification strengthened by the presence of the incised lentil motif, a shape used on the 'Hercules club' ear-rings and pendants to represent the stylised knots on the surface of the club (Johns 1996, 129-30, Fig. 6.2. Allason-Jones 1989, Type 15). Date: probably 1st - 4th century AD. Dimensions: Length 17.6 mm. Weight: 2.8 g. In age and precious metal content the object qualifies as Treasure under the terms of the 1996 Treasure Act. Ralph Jackson Dept. of Prehistory & Europe British Museum 16th April 2009"