Members of the public uncovered a treasure trove of ancient artefacts last year, a report has revealed.
Among the thousands of archaeological finds is a huge Bronze Age belt made of gold and a hoard of 17th century silver coin clippings.
Experts believe the belt, or 'torc', may have been worn by pregnant women during fertility ceremonies in Bronze Age Britain.
The Bronze Age gold torc found in Cambridgeshire, dating from 1100 to 1300 BC, is one of the largest and most spectacular to be found, experts said.
Revealed: 3,000-year-old gold belt worn by a pregnant woman during a fertility ritual is among the stunning treasures found in the UK last year
Thousands of artefacts were uncovered by the public in the UK last year
The British Museum highlighted key finds as it launched its annual report
Included were silver coin clippings, and a gold torc dating back to 1300 BC
The torc is thought to have been worn as a belt over clothing, as part of animal sacrifice or even by pregnant women in fertility ceremonies
By Ryan O'Hare for MailOnline and Press Association
29 November 2016
Members of the public uncovered a treasure trove of ancient artefacts last year, a report has revealed.
Among the thousands of archaeological finds is a huge Bronze Age belt made of gold and a hoard of 17th century silver coin clippings.
Experts believe the belt, or 'torc', may have been worn by pregnant women during fertility ceremonies in Bronze Age Britain.
A golden Bronze Age belt (pictured) dating from around 1300-1100 BC is one of more than a thousand treasures unearthed by the British public in 2015, according to a new report from the British museum
The Bronze Age gold torc found in Cambridgeshire, dating from 1100 to 1300 BC, is one of the largest and most spectacular to be found, experts said.
Torcs were normally worn around the neck, but this one, weighing 26oz, is too large to fit a person's waist and may have been designed to be worn over thick winter clothing, as a sash, or by a prized animal in the course of a sacrifice.
According to The Times, the British Museum's Bronze Age curator, Neil Wilkin, speculated that the torc may have been used in fertility rituals.
He said: 'There is this idea of fertility and growth... it has had very little wear so could have been used in some type of ceremony and we know that ceremonies are very important for this time.'
The Bronze Age gold torc was discovered in Cambridgeshire last year and was highlighted among some of the important finds made by the public in 2015
According to the report, the gold torc was uncovered in a field in Cambridgeshire, close to Grunty Fen, where a number of artefacts have been unearthed
Grunty Fen, Cambridgeshire
The gold torc and other treasures were on display at a photocall at the British Museum in London.
The 82,272 discoveries were made mostly by people who were metal-detecting, according to the Portable Antiquities Scheme annual report launched at the British Museum.
More than a thousand discoveries of 'treasure' - such as gold or silver ornaments or coin collections and prehistoric metalwork - were made in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year, the report reveals.
The 1,008 finds included a Roman grave in Hertfordshire and a hoard of Viking Age objects and Anglo-Saxon coins in a field near Watlington, Oxfordshire.
Archaeological items, the majority of which were found on cultivated land where items can be at risk of damage from ploughing and corrosion, ranged from thousands of stone flints to a rare Bronze Age shield in Suffolk.
An Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl mount was discovered in West Sussex and dates from 600 to 725 AD.
It is decorated with swirling motifs set against bright red enamel and glass inlay and the hook at the top is moulded into an animal's head.
Other finds highlighted include an Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl mount from AD 600-725, found in West Sussex
A large rare hoard of 463 silver coin clippings and fragments from Gloucestershire are thought to have been buried around the time of the 'great recoinage' in 1696, when all pre-1662 hand-struck coinage was recalled and turned into machine-struck coins.
The move produced a bout of 'clipping' - removing silver from the edge - of the old money, a criminal activity for which perpetrators faced the death penalty.
The clippings found in Gloucestershire show the complete removal of the inscription from the coins, which include half-crowns, shillings and sixpences dating from 1554 to 1662.
Finds reported through the Portable Antiquities Scheme revealed new archaeological sites including an English Civil War siege in Shropshire and a Roman villa in Wiltshire.
Part of a hoard of 463 silver coin clippings dating from around the 1640's, found in Gloucestershire
Tracey Crouch, Minister for Heritage, said: 'The Portable Antiquities Scheme enables us to learn more about our nation's history and preserve and safeguard treasure for generations to come.
'New discoveries keep getting made every year through the scheme that then find their way into our wonderful museums across the country.'
More than 1.2 million finds have been recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme, managed by the British Museum with local and national partners, since 1997.
WHAT IS A TORC?
Among the finds reported by the British Museum is a golden torc.
These items were normally worn around the neck, but the golden item uncovered in Cambridgeshire is more like a belt.
Experts believe it may have been designed to be worn over thick winter clothing, as a sash, or by a prized animal in the course of a sacrifice.
Other suggestions include being worn by pregnant women in fertility rituals.
TREASURE FINDS IN 2015
A jug from the Hertfordshire Roman grave
According to the British Museum, 82,272 discoveries were made in 2015.
The discoveries were made mostly by people using metal detectors.
A total of 1,008 discoveries of gold or silver ornaments or coin collections and prehistoric metalwork - were made in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year.
Finds include a Roman grave in Hertfordshire and a hoard of Viking Age objects and Anglo-Saxon coins in a field near Watlington, Oxfordshire.
Among the thousands of archaeological finds is a huge Bronze Age belt made of gold and a hoard of 17th century silver coin clippings.
Experts believe the belt, or 'torc', may have been worn by pregnant women during fertility ceremonies in Bronze Age Britain.
The Bronze Age gold torc found in Cambridgeshire, dating from 1100 to 1300 BC, is one of the largest and most spectacular to be found, experts said.
Revealed: 3,000-year-old gold belt worn by a pregnant woman during a fertility ritual is among the stunning treasures found in the UK last year
Thousands of artefacts were uncovered by the public in the UK last year
The British Museum highlighted key finds as it launched its annual report
Included were silver coin clippings, and a gold torc dating back to 1300 BC
The torc is thought to have been worn as a belt over clothing, as part of animal sacrifice or even by pregnant women in fertility ceremonies
By Ryan O'Hare for MailOnline and Press Association
29 November 2016
Members of the public uncovered a treasure trove of ancient artefacts last year, a report has revealed.
Among the thousands of archaeological finds is a huge Bronze Age belt made of gold and a hoard of 17th century silver coin clippings.
Experts believe the belt, or 'torc', may have been worn by pregnant women during fertility ceremonies in Bronze Age Britain.
A golden Bronze Age belt (pictured) dating from around 1300-1100 BC is one of more than a thousand treasures unearthed by the British public in 2015, according to a new report from the British museum
The Bronze Age gold torc found in Cambridgeshire, dating from 1100 to 1300 BC, is one of the largest and most spectacular to be found, experts said.
Torcs were normally worn around the neck, but this one, weighing 26oz, is too large to fit a person's waist and may have been designed to be worn over thick winter clothing, as a sash, or by a prized animal in the course of a sacrifice.
According to The Times, the British Museum's Bronze Age curator, Neil Wilkin, speculated that the torc may have been used in fertility rituals.
He said: 'There is this idea of fertility and growth... it has had very little wear so could have been used in some type of ceremony and we know that ceremonies are very important for this time.'
The Bronze Age gold torc was discovered in Cambridgeshire last year and was highlighted among some of the important finds made by the public in 2015
According to the report, the gold torc was uncovered in a field in Cambridgeshire, close to Grunty Fen, where a number of artefacts have been unearthed
Grunty Fen, Cambridgeshire
The gold torc and other treasures were on display at a photocall at the British Museum in London.
The 82,272 discoveries were made mostly by people who were metal-detecting, according to the Portable Antiquities Scheme annual report launched at the British Museum.
More than a thousand discoveries of 'treasure' - such as gold or silver ornaments or coin collections and prehistoric metalwork - were made in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year, the report reveals.
The 1,008 finds included a Roman grave in Hertfordshire and a hoard of Viking Age objects and Anglo-Saxon coins in a field near Watlington, Oxfordshire.
Archaeological items, the majority of which were found on cultivated land where items can be at risk of damage from ploughing and corrosion, ranged from thousands of stone flints to a rare Bronze Age shield in Suffolk.
An Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl mount was discovered in West Sussex and dates from 600 to 725 AD.
It is decorated with swirling motifs set against bright red enamel and glass inlay and the hook at the top is moulded into an animal's head.
Other finds highlighted include an Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl mount from AD 600-725, found in West Sussex
A large rare hoard of 463 silver coin clippings and fragments from Gloucestershire are thought to have been buried around the time of the 'great recoinage' in 1696, when all pre-1662 hand-struck coinage was recalled and turned into machine-struck coins.
The move produced a bout of 'clipping' - removing silver from the edge - of the old money, a criminal activity for which perpetrators faced the death penalty.
The clippings found in Gloucestershire show the complete removal of the inscription from the coins, which include half-crowns, shillings and sixpences dating from 1554 to 1662.
Finds reported through the Portable Antiquities Scheme revealed new archaeological sites including an English Civil War siege in Shropshire and a Roman villa in Wiltshire.
Part of a hoard of 463 silver coin clippings dating from around the 1640's, found in Gloucestershire
Tracey Crouch, Minister for Heritage, said: 'The Portable Antiquities Scheme enables us to learn more about our nation's history and preserve and safeguard treasure for generations to come.
'New discoveries keep getting made every year through the scheme that then find their way into our wonderful museums across the country.'
More than 1.2 million finds have been recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme, managed by the British Museum with local and national partners, since 1997.
WHAT IS A TORC?
Among the finds reported by the British Museum is a golden torc.
These items were normally worn around the neck, but the golden item uncovered in Cambridgeshire is more like a belt.
Experts believe it may have been designed to be worn over thick winter clothing, as a sash, or by a prized animal in the course of a sacrifice.
Other suggestions include being worn by pregnant women in fertility rituals.
TREASURE FINDS IN 2015
A jug from the Hertfordshire Roman grave
According to the British Museum, 82,272 discoveries were made in 2015.
The discoveries were made mostly by people using metal detectors.
A total of 1,008 discoveries of gold or silver ornaments or coin collections and prehistoric metalwork - were made in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year.
Finds include a Roman grave in Hertfordshire and a hoard of Viking Age objects and Anglo-Saxon coins in a field near Watlington, Oxfordshire.
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