Mold gold cape, Bronze Age gold cape at British Museum, United Kingdom
The Mold gold cape is a Bronze Age object made from hammered gold and covered with intricate decorative patterns including concentric rings, ribs, and raised circular shapes. The artifact is displayed in Room 51 of the British Museum within a collection of prehistoric European finds.
Quarry workers discovered this ceremonial cape in 1833 within a burial mound near Mold in Flintshire, Wales, during mining operations. The object subsequently entered the collection of the British Museum and has become one of the most significant Bronze Age gold finds from Britain.
The garment likely belonged to someone of high rank in their community, with the intricate decoration suggesting this person held special importance. Its small size indicates it was made for an individual of slight build.
The cape is displayed in Room 51 of the British Museum and can be viewed alongside other prehistoric European objects. Since the piece is housed behind protective glass, details are best observed from a slight distance to avoid reflection and glare.
What makes this piece remarkable is that it was created from a single nugget of gold about the size of a ping pong ball, carefully hammered into an extremely thin sheet. The goldsmith achieved this through exceptional skill and patience, stretching the metal far beyond what might seem possible.
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