Artefact Catalogue
Treasures of Prehistoric Britain: From Neolithic Tools to Celtic Masterpieces
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Featured Artefacts
Examples of prehistoric British craftsmanship
The Battersea Shield
A ceremonial bronze shield decorated with repoussé spirals and red coral or enamel inlay. 77.7cm long. Found in the Thames near Battersea Bridge, it shows the height of Celtic La Tène art.
Material: Bronze with enamel/coral inlay
Dimensions: 77.7 × 35.4cm
Museum: British Museum (P&EE 1857,0715.1)
The Mold Cape
A ceremonial gold cape made from a single sheet of metal. Decorated with hundreds of bronze bosses and geometric patterns. One of Europe's finest pieces of Bronze Age goldwork.
Material: Gold (89% purity)
Weight: 560 grams
Museum: British Museum (P&EE 1836,0301.1)
Snettisham Great Torc
A spectacular gold alloy torc weighing over 1kg, made from eight twisted ropes of wire. The elaborate terminals show advanced metalworking and the wealth of Iron Age East Anglia.
Material: Gold-silver alloy (electrum)
Weight: 1,084 grams
Museum: British Museum (P&EE 1992,0503.1)
Carved Stone Ball
A carved stone sphere with geometric patterns and projecting knobs. Over 500 are known from Scotland, possibly used in ceremonies or as symbols of authority.
Material: Sandstone
Diameter: 7.0cm
Museum: National Museums Scotland (A.1927.17)
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The Battersea Shield
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Our Growing Collection
Comprehensive documentation of British prehistoric material culture
Recent Additions
Newly catalogued discoveries and museum loans
Shropshire Bronze Hoard
Recently discovered hoard of Late Bronze Age metalwork including palstave axes, socketed spearheads, and fragments suggesting ritual deposition c. 1000-800 BCE.
Glastonbury Lake Village Pottery
Exceptional decorated pottery from Somerset's famous lake village, showing sophisticated ceramic artistry of the 2nd-1st centuries BCE. Features intricate geometric and curvilinear designs.
Hafted Neolithic Axe
Remarkably preserved Neolithic polished stone axe with original wooden handle, recovered from peat deposits in the Somerset Levels. Dates to approximately 3800 BCE.
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