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Beads

Bronze Age beads are rare finds. Many copper alloy beads are similar in shape to gold beads such as the ones found in the Burton hoard from Wrexham. The beads are cast and would most probably have been strung together and worn as jewellery.

Date

Owing to the often unremarkable nature of the beads, dating them has proved itself to be difficult for the production and use of copper-alloy beads continued well into Medieval England, a period of around two millennia.

Distribution

Out of the 35 copper-alloy beads listed on this site, 22 are in the South and South East of England, with the rest coming from the East of England and East Midlands regions, as well as two from Yorkshire.

Examples

Bead SUSS-0C04D4


Bead BERK-141237

References

  • O'Connor, B. 1980 `Cross-Channel relations in the later Bronze Age: relations between Britain, NE France and the Low Countries during the Later Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age, with particular reference to the metalwork'BAR International Series British Archaeological Reports Oxford S91(i-ii).