The torques formed of bronze are, as a rule, thicker and bulkier in their proportions than those of gold, and the ends are usually left straight or but slightly hooked over so as to interlock. They are never provided with the projecting cylindrical ends already mentioned.
Fig. 467.—Wedmore. ½
The form most frequently discovered in the British Islands is that known as funicular, one of which is shown in Fig. 466, copied from the Archæological Association Journal.[1455]
The original was found with two others at Wedmore, Somersetshire. One of these is of the same type, but of smaller size, and not quite so closely twisted, as shown in Fig. 467; and the other is made of a flat ribbon of metal, ⅜ inch broad, twisted, as shown in Fig. 469, which is copied from the same plate as Figs. 466 and 467.
From another account of these torques,[1456] it appears that they were found near Heath House, in the parish of Wedmore, and that with them were two celts and a few amber beads strung on a wire. This latter, to me, sounds doubtful, as the wire is probably a later addition. The weight of the largest is said to be ½ pound, of the second 2 ounces, and of the smallest 1½ ounce.
Another torque of the character of Fig. 466, about 9 inches in diameter, was found with a bracelet, Fig. 481, and a two-looped palstave, Fig. 87, at West Buckland, Somersetshire,[1457] and is in the collection of Mr. W. A. Sanford. It is shown on the scale of one-third in Fig. 468.
A portion of another torque, but of slender make, was found at Pen Pits,[1458] in the same county; and another, somewhat imperfect, near Edington Burtle.[1459] With the latter was a portion of a ribbon torque like Fig. 469, two bracelets, some rings, and four palstaves.
Two very fine torques, like Fig. 468, 8¾ inches in diameter, were also found in Somersetshire on the Quantock Hills,[1460] in 1794. Within each of them is said to have been placed a looped palstave, like Fig. 77. The weight of one of the torques is reported to have been nearly 2 pounds.
