1800bc.

These Gold Torc's / Twisted Gold ornament's 1,000 bc., were created from lengths of GOLD which were TWISTED into these NECK ORNAMENTS. Gold is a relatively soft metal and can be formed easily into a variety of shapes.

The TORC was formed by TWISTING but as you can see the twisted edges were then BEATEN / RAISED giving the impression of an AUGER / DRILL BIT. The " CLASP " is formed by bending both ends, ( which have rounded BOSS like TERMINAL'S / ENDS ), which HOOK / CLASP around each other,. It is both the CLASP, and WEIGHT of the object which holds it around the WEARER'S neck.

The TWISTED Gold Neck Lace  is much simpler in DESIGN. Here it is the " CLASP" which has had some thought put into its DESIGN. The TERMINALS / ENDS have been left UN twisted and a SPIRAL DESIGN continues out from one of the ends. Notice that where the SPIRAL starts is narrower than the TERMINAL and therefore this piece would have been SOLDERED on. This is a very sophisticated piece of work, both in its DESIGN, and CRAFTS-MANSHIP.

It is not just Neck Ornaments that were produced during the Bronze Age but also objects like the HAIR RINGS 700bc. These were used in the same way as Hair Bands are today. These though, were made from thin strands of GOLD, SOLDERED together to create this unique DESIGN. Soldering is the joining of metal by means of a FLUX, used to allow the SOLDER to flow between the two pieces of GOLD / COPPER etc. The SOLDER, (e.g. silver), then flows between the joints, and when it COOLS and HARDENS, helps to hold the two pieces together. The DESIGN of these RINGS is very sophisticated in that the central SPACE / CYLINDER, into which the hair fits, has semi- circular indentations on its inner surface, which helps to hold the wearers hair in place. They are made up of two CONICAL pieces, ( ALL of which are SOLDERED from individual strands of GOLD ). Each strand is visible in the extreme detail .These works are MASTERPIECES of METALWORKING and even more especially of SOLDERING.