Pre Christian Art Stlyle Characterized by Twistin Interlocking Shapes Called Interlace Is What

Rigid, usually twisted ring worn effectually the cervix or arm, ofttimes of precious metal

Statuary 4th-century BC buffer-type torc from French republic

A torc, likewise spelled torq or torque, is a big rigid or stiff neck ring in metallic, fabricated either equally a unmarried piece or from strands twisted together. The great bulk are open at the forepart, although some had claw and ring closures and a few had mortice and tenon locking catches to shut them. Many seem designed for near-permanent clothing and would have been hard to remove. Torcs are found in the Scythian, Illyrian,^[one] Thracian, Celtic, and other cultures of the European Iron Historic period from around the eighth century BC to the 3rd century AD. For the Iron Age Celts, the golden torc seems to have been a key object. It identifies the wearer as a person of high rank, and many of the finest works of ancient Celtic art are torcs. The Celtic torc disappears in the Migration Catamenia, simply during the Viking Age torc-mode metallic necklaces, at present mainly in silver, came back into fashion.^[ii] Torc styles of cervix-band are found equally part of the jewellery styles of diverse other cultures and periods.

Terminology and definition [edit]

The discussion comes from Latin torquis (or torques), from torqueo, "to twist", because of the twisted shape many of the rings have. Typically, cervix-rings that open up at the front when worn are called "torcs" and those that open at the back "collars". Smaller bracelets and armlets worn around the wrist or on the upper arm sometimes share very similar forms. Torcs were fabricated from unmarried or multiple intertwined metal rods, or "ropes" of twisted wire. About of those that have been found are fabricated from gold or statuary, less often silvery, atomic number 26 or other metals (gold, bronze and silver survive improve than other metals when buried for long periods). Elaborate examples, sometimes hollow, used a diverseness of techniques simply circuitous decoration was usually begun by casting and so worked by further techniques. The Ipswich Hoard includes unfinished torcs that give clear evidence of the stages of work.^[3] Apartment-ended terminals are called "buffers", and in types like the "fused-buffer" shape, where what resemble two terminals are actually a single piece, the element is chosen a "muff".^[iv]

Statuary Historic period Europe and the East [edit]

Unusually circuitous gold screw ribbon torc from the Stirling Hoard, Scotland.

In that location are several types of rigid gold and sometimes bronze necklaces and collars of the after European Bronze Historic period, from effectually 1200 BC, many of which are classed as "torcs". They are mostly twisted in diverse conformations, including the "twisted ribbon" type, where a sparse strip of gilt is twisted into a spiral. Other examples twist a bar with a square or Ten section, or but use round wire, with both types in the iii twelfth– or 11th-century BC specimens found at Tiers Cross, Pembrokeshire, Wales.^[5] The Milton Keynes Hoard contained two large examples of thicker rounded forms, equally also used for bracelets.^{[half dozen]}

Two uncleaned Bronze Age twisted bar torcs with flared cylinder terminals, equally often found folded upwards, with bracelets, England

The terminals are not emphasized every bit in typical Iron Age torcs, though many can be airtight by hooking the simple terminals together. Many of these "torcs" are too modest to be worn round the cervix of an adult, and were either worn as bracelets or armlets, or past children or statues. Archaeologists find dating many torcs difficult, with some believing torcs were retained for periods of centuries as heirlooms, and others believing there were two periods of production. Differing ratios of silver in the gold of other objects—typically upward to xv% in the Bronze Age but upward to 20% in the Atomic number 26 Age—can help decide the question.^[seven] In that location are several flared gilt torcs with a C-shaped section in the huge Mooghaun North Hoard of Late Bronze Age aureate from 800 to 700 BC constitute in Canton Clare in Ireland.^[8]

To the East, torcs announced in Scythian art from the Early on Iron Age, and include "classicizing" ornament drawing on styles from the e. Torcs are also constitute in Thraco-Cimmerian art. Torcs are institute in the Tolstaya burial and the Karagodeuashk kurgan (Kuban area), both dating to the quaternary century BC. A torc is role of the Pereshchepina hoard dating to the 7th century AD. Thin torcs, often with animate being head terminals, are found in the art of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, with some other elements derived from Scythian art.

Celtic torcs [edit]

Gold Celtic torc with three "balusters" and decoration including animals, plant in Glauberg, Germany, 400 BC

Depictions of the gods and goddesses of Celtic mythology sometimes prove them wearing or carrying torcs, as in images of the god Cernunnos wearing ane torc effectually his neck, with torcs hanging from his antlers or held in his hand, as on the Gundestrup cauldron. This may stand for the deity as the source of power and riches, every bit the torc was a sign of dignity and high social condition.^[9] The famous Roman copy of the original Greek sculpture The Dying Gaul depicts a wounded Gaulish warrior naked except for a torc, which is how Polybius described the gaesatae, Celtic warriors from modernistic northern Italia or the Alps, fighting at the Battle of Telamon in 225 BC, although other Celts in that location were clothed.^[x] One of the earliest known depictions of a torc tin exist found on the Warrior of Hirschlanden (6th century BC), and a high proportion of the few Celtic statues of homo figures, mostly male, show them wearing torcs.

Other possible functions that accept been proposed for torcs include utilize as rattles in rituals or otherwise, as some have stones or metal pieces inside them, and representations of figures thought to exist deities conveying torcs in their paw may depict this. Some are too heavy to wear for long, and may take been made to place on cult statues. Very few of these remain but they may well have been in wood and non survived. Torcs were clearly valuable, and frequently found cleaved in pieces, so being a shop of value may have been an of import office of their use. It has been noted that the Iberian gold examples seem to be made at fixed weights that are multiples of the Phoenician shekel.^[11]

With bracelets, torcs are "the most of import category of Celtic golden", though armlets and anklets were too worn; in contrast finger-rings were less common among the early Celts.^[12] The primeval Celtic torcs are mostly found buried with women, for example, the gold torc from the La Tène menstruation chariot burying of a princess, constitute in the Waldalgesheim chariot burial in Germany, and others establish in female person graves at Vix in France (illustrated) and Reinheim. Another La Tène case was constitute every bit part of a hoard or ritual deposit cached almost Erstfeld in Switzerland.^[13] It is thought by some authors that the torc was mostly an ornament for women until the late 3rd century BC, when information technology became an aspect of warriors.^[xiv] However, there is evidence for male article of clothing in the early catamenia; in a rich double burial of the Hallstatt period at Hochmichele, the human wears an iron torc and the female a necklace with beads.^[15] A heavy torc in silver over an iron core with bull'south head terminals, weighing over 6 kilos, from Trichtingen, Germany, probably dates to the 2nd century BC (illustrated).^[sixteen]

Many finds of torcs, especially in groups and in clan with other valuables but not associated with a burial, are clearly deliberate deposits whose role is unclear. They may have been ritual deposits or hidden for safekeeping in times of warfare. Some may represent the piece of work-in-progress of a workshop.^[17] Later the early flow, torcs are especially prominent in the Celtic cultures reaching to a coast of the Atlantic, from modern Spain to Ireland, and on both sides of the English language Aqueduct.

Some very elaborately worked torcs with relief decoration in a late form of La Tène mode take been found in Britain and Ireland, dating from roughly the 3rd to 1st centuries BC. There may be a connection with an older tradition in the British Isles of elaborate golden neckwear in the form of golden lunulas, which seem centred on Ireland in the Statuary Age, and later flat or curved wide collars; gilt twisted ribbon torcs are institute from both periods, just also imported styles such as the fused-buffer.^[18] The most elaborate tardily Insular torcs are thick and often hollow, some with terminals forming a band or loop. The most famous English example is the 1st-century BC multi-stranded electrum Snettisham Torc constitute in northwestern Norfolk in England (illustrated),^[19] while the single hollow torc in the Broighter Gold hoard, with relief ornament all round the hoop, is the finest example of this type from Ireland, also 1st century BC.^[20] The Stirling Hoard, a rare find in Scotland of 4 gold torcs, ii of them twisted ribbons, dating from the 3rd to 1st century BC, was discovered in September 2009.^[21]

Torc from Burela, Galicia, with double moulding scotiae terminals, and hoop decoration. At 1.812 kg (iii.99 lb) the heaviest Iberian torc.^[22]

The Roman Titus Manlius in 361 BC challenged a Gaul to single combat, killed him, and and then took his torc. Because he ever wore it, he received the nickname Torquatus (the i who wears a torc),^[23] and it was adopted by his family. After this, Romans adopted the torc every bit a decoration for distinguished soldiers and elite units during Republican times. A few Roman torcs have been discovered.^[24] Pliny the Elder records that afterward a battle in 386 BC (long earlier his lifetime) the Romans recovered 183 torcs from the Celtic dead, and similar haul is mentioned by other authors.^[x]

It is not articulate whether the Gallo-Roman "Warrior of Vacheres", a sculpture of a soldier in Roman military dress, wears a torc as part of his Roman uniform or as a reflection of his Celtic background. Quintilian says that the Emperor Augustus was presented past Gauls with a gold torc weighing 100 Roman pounds (nearly 33 kilograms or 73 pounds),^[10] far too heavy to article of clothing. A torc from the 1st century BC Winchester Hoard, is broadly in Celtic style but uses the Roman technique of laced aureate wire, suggesting information technology may have been a "diplomatic gift" from a Roman to a British tribal king.^{[25] [26]}

A very late case of a torc used as ceremonial particular in early Medieval Wales can be found in the writings of Gerald of Wales. The author wrote that at that place nevertheless existed a certain royal torc that had one time been worn by Prince Cynog ap Brychan of Brycheiniog (fl. 492 AD) and was known as Saint Kynauc'due south Collar. Gerald encountered and described this relic first-hand while travelling through Wales in 1188. Of it he says, "it is near similar to gold in weight, nature, and colour; it is in four pieces wrought round, joined together artificially, and clefted as it were in the middle, with a dog'south head, the teeth continuing outward; it is esteemed by the inhabitants so powerful a relic, that no man dares swear falsely when it is laid earlier him."^[27] It is of course possible that this torc long pre-dated the reign of Prince Cynog and was a much earlier relic that had been recycled during the British Dark Ages to be used as a symbol of royal say-so. It is now lost.

There are mentions in medieval compilations of Irish mythology; for instance in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (11th century) Elatha wore five gilded torcs when coming together Eriu.^{[28] [29]}

Shapes and decoration [edit]

Sleek Bronze Age torc in striated gilt, northern French republic, c. 1200–1000 BC, 794 grams

Most Achaemenid torcs are thin unmarried round bars with matching animal heads as the terminals, facing each other at the front. Some Early Celtic forms intermission from the normal style of torc past defective a suspension at the throat, and instead are heavily decorated at the continuous front, with animal elements and curt rows of "balusters", rounded projections coming to a blunt point; these are seen both on the sculpted torc worn by the rock "Glauberg Warrior" and a gilt torc (illustrated) found in the same oppidum. Subsequently Celtic torcs about all return to having a intermission at the throat and strong emphasis on the 2 terminals. The Vix torc has ii very finely made winged horses continuing on fancy platforms projecting sideways just earlier the terminals, which are flattened balls under lions' anxiety. Like other elite Celtic pieces in the "orientalizing" style, the ornament shows Greek influence merely not a classical style, and the slice may take been made by Greeks in the Celtic taste, or a "Graeco-Etruscan workshop", or by Celts with foreign preparation.^[thirty]

Spiral ribbon torcs, normally with minimal terminals, keep a Bronze Age blazon and are found in the Stirling Hoard from Scotland, and elsewhere:^[31] "Although over 110 identifiable British [includes Ireland] ribbon torcs are known, the dating of these simple, flexible ornaments is elusive", perhaps indicating "a long-lived preference for ribbon torcs, which connected for over ane,000 years".^[32] The terminals were often slightly flared patently round cylinders which were folded dorsum to hook round each other to fasten the torc at the throat. Other Celtic torcs may use various ways of forming the hoop: plain or patterned round bars, 2 or more bars twisted together, thin round rods (or thick wire) wound circular a cadre, or woven aureate wire. A rarer type twists a single bar with an X profile.

Except in British looped terminals, the terminals of Iron Historic period torcs are usually formed separately. The "buffer" form of terminal was the virtually pop in finds from modern French republic and Germany, with some "fused buffer" types opening at the rear or sides. In both buffer types and those with projecting fringes of decoration, decoration in low relief often continues back round the hoop equally far as the midpoint of the side view. In Iberian torcs thin gold bars are often wound circular a core of base metal, with the rear department a single circular section with a busy surface.

The c. 150 torcs found in the lands of the Iberian Celts of Galicia favoured terminals ending in assurance coming to a indicate or pocket-sized buffer ("pears"), or a shape with a double moulding called scotiae.^[33] The pointed ball is also institute in northern Italia, where the hoops often cease past being turned dorsum upon themselves so that the terminals face out to the sides, perhaps enabling closure by hooking circular. Both of these mostly used evidently circular bars or sparse rods wound round a core. In the terminals of British torcs loops or rings are common, and the principal hoop may be two or more round bars twisted together, or several strands each made up of twisted wire. Ornament of the terminals in the finest examples is complex merely all abstruse. In these 2 types the hoop itself commonly has no extra decoration, though the large torc in the Irish Broighter Gilded hoard is decorated all circular the hoop, the only Irish example busy in this way.

Gallery [edit]

• 

  Hallstatt culture gold torc or neckband with fastening, c. 550 BC

• 

  Model chariot from the Oxus Treasure, with both figures wearing torcs

• 

  Gold Celtic torc found in Vix, French republic, 480 BC; see text.

• 

  French fused-buffer blazon with "muff", c. 350 BC

• 

  The four Leekfrith torcs, dating from c. 400–250 BC, which are the oldest gold torcs found in Bang-up Britain

• 

  The twisted ribbon type, here from the Stirling Hoard, is found in both Bronze and Iron Ages

• 

  Torques de Foxados: Gallaecian torc with double "scotia" terminals and 6-fold symmetric interlaced motive

• 

  Bong shaped torc terminal from A Guarda, Galicia. Museo do Castro de St. Tegra.

• 

  Northern Gallaeci torc (Artabri blazon with "pear" terminals) Galicia, showing construction, and decoration of the hoop

• 

  The Trichtingen silver torc with bull heads, perhaps 2nd century BC

• 

  The Snettisham Hoard, perhaps the stock of a goldsmith, showing the variety of British forms, c. 75 BC

• 

• 

  Celtic golden torque found in Marche in a gaulish necropolis, National Archaeological Museum, Ancona

See also [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Torcs.

• Sedgeford Torc
• Leekfrith torcs
• Gold working in the Bronze Age British Isles
• List of Bronze Historic period hoards in Britain
• Listing of Iron Age hoards in Corking United kingdom
• Manilla (money)
• Kalabubu, a torc of the Nias people made of kokosnoot beat out

Notes [edit]

1. ^ The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992, ISBN 0-631-19807-5, page 223, "Illyrian chiefs wore heavy statuary torques"
2. ^ Jim Cornish, Elementary: Viking Hoards Archived 2007-x-14 at the Wayback Machine, on the Centre for Distance Learning & Innovation Website
3. ^ Brailsford, 19
4. ^ Instance in the British Museum
5. ^ Fine art Saved: Three Bronze Historic period Torcs, on the Art Fund Website
6. ^ "Treasure Annual Written report 2000" (PDF). Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2001. pp. xiii–15, 133. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2010-07-26 .
7. ^ Cahill, 120−121
8. ^ Wallace, 99; Treasures, no. 8. Nos. four and 6 are Bronze Age gilt spiral ribbon torcs, and No. ten is an elaborate flat collar. Taylor has total coverage of British gilt Bronze age material.
9. ^ Green, 78−79
10. ^ ^{a b c} Greenish, 77
11. ^ González-Ruibal, "Torcs"
12. ^ Green, 45, 74−77
13. ^ Atomic number 26 Age Western Europe from c. 800 B.C. − La Tène Archived 2002-10-08 at the Library of Congress Web Archives, on the Images from World History Website
14. ^ Greenish, 45−48, 74
15. ^ Green, 73
16. ^ Laings, 69, 71
17. ^ Light-green, 45, 49, 70
18. ^ Primal examples of all Irish gaelic types are in both Wallace and Treasures; encounter previous reference for older types, the Iron Age ones are: Treasures nos. 14, xv, 21 and Wallace chapter 4, nos. 3, 4 and 10.
19. ^ Laings, 110; Green, 48−49
20. ^ Treasures, no. 21; Wallace, 138−153
21. ^ Wade, Mike (2009-11-04). "1m gilded hoard rewrites history of ancient Scotland". The Times. London. Retrieved 2010-05-25 .
22. ^ González-Ruibal, "catalogue", fig. 33
23. ^ Cicero, De Officiis, Iii, 31
24. ^ Roman Silverish Torque with Two Roman Denarii Pendants (belatedly 1st−third centuries Advertizement), on Ancient Touch Website
25. ^ Alberge, Dalya (eight September 2003). "Golden hoard of Winchester gives upwards its clandestine". The Times . Retrieved 2010-08-02 .
26. ^ "Treasure Annual Written report 2000" (PDF). Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2001. pp. xvi–18, 133. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2010-08-02 .
27. ^ Vision of Britain: Gerald of Wales, The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales, Chapter 2
28. ^ Lady Gregory (2004) [1905]. "The Reign of Bres". Gods and Fighting Men. Project Gutenberg.
29. ^ Lebor Gabála Érenn. Online translation at www.ancienttexts.org
30. ^ Laings, 31
31. ^ Example establish in Northern Ireland in 2013
32. ^ Taylor, 63
33. ^ González-Ruibal covers these in item in the section "Torcs" and the "catalogue" following. The ancient territory of the Gallaeci extended further east along the coast than the modern province, and the linguistic brand-upward of the region remains controversial.
34. ^ British Museum Highlights Archived 2015-ten-18 at the Wayback Automobile
35. ^ "Gallic treasure from Tayac (Gironde): Gold torque and coins | le site officiel du musée d'Aquitaine".

References [edit]

• Brailsford, J. Due west., "The Sedgeford Torc", The British Museum Quarterly, Vol. 35, No. 1/4 (Spring, 1971), pp. 16–19, JSTOR
• Cahill, Mary, "The Dooyork Hoard", Irish gaelic Arts Review (2002−), Vol. nineteen, No. 1 (Summertime, 2002), pp. 118–121, JSTOR
• González-Ruibal, Alfredo, "Artistic Expression and Material Culture in Celtic Gallaecia", E-Keltoi, Volume 6, online
• Greenish, Miranda, Celtic Fine art, Reading the Messages, 1996, The Everyman Art Library, ISBN 0297833650
• Laing, Lloyd and Jenifer. Art of the Celts, Thames and Hudson, London 1992 ISBN 0-500-20256-seven
• Prieto Molina, Susana (1996). "Los torques castreños del noroeste de la península ibérica". Complutum. vii: 195–223.
• "Treasures": Treasures of early Irish art, 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D., an exhibition catalogue from The Metropolitan Museum of Fine art (fully available online equally PDF), which contains material on torcs (cat. no. 4,half dozen,8,10,14,15,21)
• Taylor, Joan J., Statuary Historic period Goldwork of the British Isles, 1980, Cambridge University Press, google books
• Wallace, Patrick F., O'Floinn, Raghnall eds. Treasures of the National Museum of Ireland: Irish Antiquities, 2002, Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, ISBN 0-7171-2829-vi

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torc

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