The Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society (LAHS) has begun a crowdfunding campaign to ensure that a 3,000-year-old golden torc discovered near Harborough can be saved and brought back to the county.
Discovered in 2024 by a local metal detectorist, the Leicestershire torc is a spectacular gold object dating to the Middle Bronze Age period, about 3,200 years ago. It was a piece of very high-status jewellery, possibly originally worn around the middle like a belt and later modified to be worn around the neck. It is the only example ever found in the county.
It was reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme and declared to be Treasure and valued at £150,000. Leicestershire County Council Museums wish to acquire the torc for Harborough Museum, to ensure it stays part of Leicestershire’s history.
So far, £127,000 of the target has been raised with contributions from the Art Fund, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, LAHS, the Market Harborough Historical Society and the Leicestershire Fieldworkers group.
Efforts are now being made to raise the remaining money to ensure that this amazing discovery can come back to the county to be enjoyed by local people, with a goal of at least £10,000 by the 20th March.
If the money isn't raised, the item may never be displayed in Leicestershire or be bought by a private collector in the UK or abroad.
“It would be an honour to be able to bring this rare find to Harborough Museum where local people can learn about its history.
All the teams involved have worked extremely hard to secure specialised funding and we’re hopeful that with the help of the crowd fund launch from the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, we’ll be able to bring it home.”
Person:Councillor Kevin Crook, cabinet member for heritage
Professor Elizabeth Tingle, Chair of the LAHS, said: "Finds like this are rare and this beautiful object is a unique and significant object of a type never before found in Leicestershire.
"There is no other torc exactly like it in the whole country, so it is of national as well as local importance. We want to make sure that it can come home to Leicestershire and add to our understanding about the Bronze Age in the county.
"We are excited about the plans to research and display the torc at Harborough Museum. The torc would be put under the microscope by the University of Leicester’s ‘A New History of Bronze’ project team, which may be able to tell us more about how the torc was made and used.
"If we don’t manage to raise the money, this glittering Leicestershire find may be lost to the county. We are asking local people to chip in what they can afford to help us bring it back home."
LAHS' Crowdfunder is available for donations.
Picture of the Torc is courtesy of Trustees of the British Museum