How does one go about dating an artefact that was found in a field in England by a metal detectorist? And by dating we’re not talking dinner and a movie with your favourite curb chain…

As part of the Treasure process in the UK, artefacts found by metal detectorists that happen to be of a high percentage precious metal, need to go through a process of identification and classification. Join curator, Rachel King as she investigates the clues found on this spectacular gold pendant to shed some light on when it was made, by whom and for whom.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:00 A Quick Aside – Terminus dates
02:45 Investigating the clues on the front
03:48 The clues on the back
04:39 Dating the materials
05:00 The Gold Standard
06:06 Enamel decoration
07:47 The Tudor Curb chain
09:55 Johann Froben
11:46 Jousting at Greenwich
13:20 Who could afford such an artefact?

Find out everything you need to know about Treasure and The Portable Antiquities Scheme here: https://www.britishmuseum.org/our-work/national/treasure-and-portable-antiquities-scheme