Torc / Torques (Neck Ring) Mainz, Bronze

Celtic Neck Ring, Torques

This neck ring is a copy from an genuine celtic original in display at the Landesmuseum Mainz, Germany.

The Torc is a distinguish part of the celtic culture, dispite similiar neck jewellery was in use in the Bronze Age and in the germanic culture up to the viking period. In celtic times of the Latène-culture, torcs with buffer ends were very popular, being made in simple variants of iron and bronze wires, but also in much more extravagant variants with casted ornaments.
In ancient art of the mediterranean, celtic warriors were often be shown  with neck rings, like at the famous sculpture of the "dying gaul" from Pergamon (see picture). They can also be seen at genuine celtic sculptures, like the one from the glauberg, and are mentioned in classic literature, like Diodorus.
In archeology the torcs are nearly always be found as gifts in woman burials, but probably they were a kind of status-symbol for both, men and women.

The ring is partly made from a drawn wire, this makes the ring very flexible and usable.