'Incredibly rare' gold from the Iron Age found in Sussex as arachnologists campaign to keep it in local museum

The torc, which dates back to more then 2,500 years ago, was found by a metal detectorist in Pulborough in early 2019, and has recently declared an item of Treasure by the National History Museum.

Now, the Sussex Archaeological Society want to buy the historic item and add it to their display at the Lewes Museum.

Emma O’Connor, the Society’s Museums Officer said: “The important thing to stress is there has been nothing found of that period that is gold in the county to date.

"It is incredibly rare for being a piece of Iron Age gold. It doesn’t crop up very often and nothing has found in Sussex before. It is really important it comes into a local museum to keep it in the counties of which it has been discovered.

"All though there are other examples of other Iron Age gold torc both in this country and across the continent. This differs quite considerably in the way that is has been made. It is hollow, rather then being a solid piece of gold, and has a slightly different approach to decoration in the fact that it is very simplified form of Filigree.”

The Archaeological Society is £2,000 shy of its dream total, which would allow them to purchase the torc from the National History Museum and deal with conservation and display costs.

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If successfully acquired, the gold torc will be displayed at Barbican House Museum in Lewes and will be the focus of the prehistory gallery.

It will also be made available to researchers and other peer colleagues and programmed activities will also include ‘behind the scenes’ gallery talks with the Museums.

Emma said: "It’s very exciting. we have Iron Age collections, but we don’t have anything of this status and/or material. It will be going on display later in the year. We would love to think more people will come and engage with their early Sussex history.

"Its also important for archaeologist, working in the field. Its going to prompt quite a lot of academic exploration, in comparing and contrasting and reviewing other existing torcs.

“It’s just fantastic, to be able to acquire something so important and significant for the collection.”