File:GLO-46CA05 (FindID 618508).jpg

English: Middle Bronze Age circular gold bead that is biconical profile. The interior is hollow with the walls made of thin sheets (less than a millimetre thick at the aperture). The inner face slightly rough suggesting the bead may have been cast.

The following discussion has been taken from record NMS-AEC678 written by Dr Andrew Rogerson (Norfolk Senior Historic Environment Officer (Finds)) and Mr Neil Wilkin (Bronze Age Curator British Museum)

The gold bead is likely to date to the Middle Bronze Age (c.1500-1100 BC) based on several close comparanda. The three biconical gold beads from the Burton, Wrexham, hoard are similar in form, size and weight to the Salthouse bead (PAS-5B1745; Gwilt et al. in Barton 2011). The Burton hoard comprised of several typo-chronologically distinctive artefacts (including bronze palstaves) that allow it to be dated to c.1300-1150 BC (Ibid.). The bead is also similar to those from Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire and Harlow, Essex, the former from a stratified Middle Bronze Age context (Varndell 2000, 12, no.1; 2005/6, 17, 270, no.6), and Buriton, Hampshire (HAMP-72E451).

Middle Bronze Age gold beads are a relatively rare find (Murgia et al. forthcoming) and can be contextualised with reference to the so-called 'ornament horizon(s)', which see a proliferation of bronze and gold ornaments in Southern England and Britain (respectively) during the period c.1400-1100 BC (Smith 1959; Roberts 2007).