Andy Crammond and Alan Daniels discovered the three gold armbands, PC: Alan Daniels- Facebook
The 3 gold objects are torcs dating to around 1100 BCE, placing them around the transition between Britain’s Middle and Late Bronze Age, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Morris told BBC News that even finding a single intact torc is unusual, making the discovery of 3 complete examples together particularly significant. The objects have a combined weight of about 18.3 ounces and have been valued at more than $400,000, according to reporting by the Telegraph.
Archaeologist Jim Morris of the University of Lancashire described the discovery as spectacular, noting that surviving torcs from this period are often found as broken fragments rather than complete objects. The finds have been submitted for assessment under Britain’s Treasure Act, which determines whether archaeologically significant discoveries become the property of the Crown and whether finders and landowners may receive a reward.
Nobody expected the survey to produce 3 complete Bronze Age gold torcs. The discovery has an unusual modern connection: the land where the torcs were found is at the centre of opposition to a proposed electricity project. The site could eventually accommodate infrastructure associated with the Cross Border Connection, a major project intended to strengthen electricity transmission between Scotland and England. Local campaigners have raised concerns about the potential effects of the development on the landscape, wildlife and surrounding communities. Members of Lothian Relics Metal Detecting were invited to search the area as part of efforts to document its archaeological significance before development could take place.