Stirling torcs

The Stirling torcs are four Iron Age gold neck rings with varying designs, including twisted ribbons, tubular forms, and interlaced wires topped with decorated terminals. They are housed in the National Museums of Scotland's collection and date from between 300 and 100 BC.

These neck rings were made between 300 and 100 BC and belong to Britain's Iron Age period. A metal detector discovery in 2009 uncovered them beneath an ancient roundhouse where they had lain hidden for nearly 2000 years.

These torcs display craftsmanship that brought together techniques from Scotland, Ireland, and France into a single collection of objects. Their creation shows how distant regions exchanged knowledge and methods during the Iron Age.

The torcs are displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and are open to public viewing. It is advisable to check opening hours beforehand and occasionally monitor for any special exhibition updates.

One of the neck rings features an eight-wire gold braid structure combined with a safety chain, blending Mediterranean and Iron Age manufacturing approaches. This elaborate design makes it a rare example of technical knowledge from different ancient worlds coming together.