Description

Summary: 1 conical gold boss and 1 flat gold pommel, interpreted as a box by Colt-Hoare but found by Cunnington to be separated by several inches - indicating that they belonged to a wooden sceptre (now disintegrated), found with a secondary (?) cremation in bowl barrow Upton Lovell G2e, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

This object was on loan to the University of Leicester (February 2023) for wear and compositional analyses. Non-destructive techniques using microscopes, X-Ray Fluorescence and a Scanning Electron Microscope. The project will improve our understanding about how the objects were made, used and deposited. This research, funded by the British Academy, was led by Dr Rachel Crellin, and supported by Dr Christina Tsoraki, Dr Oliver Harris and Dr Christopher Standish. 'From Prestige to Practice: Shedding New Light on Early Bronze Age Gold through Microwear and Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis'. Results are expected in 2024.

Two bronze age copper alloy sheet objects, here restored as a single 'box', excavated in association with a probable secondary inhumation underneath the 'Golden barrow' (Upton Lovell G2e) by William Cunnington. The object comprises of two cylindrical covers, one with a conical top and the other a slightly flared flat base; both have corrugated sides. Whilst typically interpretted as forming a butting pair as reconstructed, recent analysis has pointed out that the rims of the two parts do not correspond well, and that they perhaps had a section of the core object visible between. When found by Cunnington he described them as being separated by several inches, and he had interpretted them as the cap and pommel of a sceptre.