The fact that it is associated with the enigmatic Upton Lovell G2a burial makes it all the more fascinating.” The University of Southampton’s Dr Chris Standish said: “Goldworking tools dating to the Early Bronze Age are extremely rare, so identifying a toolkit for creating composite gold objects is an extremely important discovery. The team suggests the tools were used to make multi-material objects where a core object was crafted in a material like jet, shale, amber, wood or copper and decorated with a thin layer of gold sheet. It also demonstrates that these gold traces are ancient. This new research has identified a further four stone objects with gold on their surfaces and characteristic wear traces, linking a wider suite of items from the burial to the goldworking process. Research by Dr Colin Shell in the 2000s identified possible gold traces on one of the stone grave goods. These objects were part of the landmark ‘World of Stonehenge’ exhibition at the British Museum, but are now back on display in Wiltshire.
Two individuals were buried at the site in association with a wide range of grave goods, including a large number of perforated bone points that are thought to have formed part of an elaborate costume. It’s located near Stonehenge and marked with an earthen mound. The Upton Lovell G2a burial already held a special place in archaeological narratives. Microwear analysis showing gold traces on surface of goldworking tool. They also found that these residues are characterised by an elemental signature consistent with that of Bronze Age goldwork found throughout the UK. Their research, published in the journal Antiquity, confirmed that gold residues are present on five artefacts. Together they looked at the residues using a Scanning Electron Microscope coupled to an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer to both confirm this identification, and investigate whether the residues were ancient or modern.
It also became clear that the stone tools had been used for a range of different purposes – some were used like hammers and anvils whereas others had been used to smooth other materials.ĭr Tsoraki’s findings prompted the team to work with Dr Chris Standish, an expert in Early Bronze Age goldworking, and Dr Richard Pearce, a specialist in Scanning Electron Microscopy, both from the University of Southampton. In the process, she noticed what appeared to be gold residues on their surfaces. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Leicester, working with experts from the University of Southampton, have re-examined the stone and copper-alloy grave goods found with the burial, revealing they are goldworking tools.ĭr Christina Tsoraki, Leicester, carried out wear-analysis of the grave goods at the museum in Devizes as part of the Leverhulme-funded ‘Beyond the Three Age System’ project. The toolkit was found at the Upton Lovell G2a Bronze Age burial, which was excavated in 1801 and is now on display at the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes. Archaeologists have identified a 4000-year-old goldworking toolkit amongst the grave goods from an important Bronze Age burial near Stonehenge.
0 kommentar(er)
