Ireland has been recalled as the El Dorado of western Europe for the quality and quantity of goldwork during the Bronze Age.
The comment came as the first six of 10 cases of potential treasure were considered at Belfast Coroner’s Court.
They were the first treasure trove inquests to be heard in several years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Items considered included a Bronze Age gold ring, a sleeve fastener, flat axes, an Agnus Dei pendant and medieval silver coins – all found by people using metal detectors with the permission of the landowner.
The final hearing of the day heard how Christopher Martin found the sleeve fastener around seven inches under the surface while using a metal detector in a field close to Narrow Water in Co Down on September 8, 2019.
It has been dated to around 3,000 years old, estimated to have been made between 950-800BC.
The item was described as “relatively small”, around 3cms in length, consisting of a semi-circular bow at either end, with a curved fastener.
Greer Ramsey, curator of archaeology at National Museums Northern Ireland, said it was a piece of prehistoric Bronze Age gold jewellery.
He described the gold content as 83%, with 12% silver and 4% copper.
“This is really, really good quality gold,” he said.
“There are probably in the region of 100 sleeves fasteners from Ireland, and it is an exclusively Irish type, we’re not finding these objects on the continent.
“The goldsmiths in Ireland had a good reputation for producing high quality gold work. Ireland at one stage was called the El Dorado of western Europe because of the quality and quantity of the gold work.
“The term sleeve fastener is an antiquarian term, and became more popular in the 1960s. The idea was that it maybe acted perhaps like a cufflink, used to go through two slits and hold the cloak closed together, but we don’t know exactly how it worked.”
Coroner Anne-Louise Toal described it as a very beautiful piece, and declared it as treasure.
Earlier, three lots of items found by another metal detector enthusiast, Ryan Shiels, were declared to be treasure.
He described how it has been a hobby for him for around six years, usually going out three days a week weather permitting.
On April 3, 2019, he found a piece of a Bronze Age gold ring in a field close to the Co Down coast just south of Downpatrick.
On April 10, in the same field, he found 12 medieval silver coins.
And when he returned to the same field on April 15, he found more silver coins.
He also found four axes in the townland of Corbally, Co Down on March 5, 2020 and February 18, 2022.
Mr Ramsey described the broken piece of the gold ring as like a broken section of a polo mint, adding it was analysed as 69% gold, 24% silver and 4% copper.
He said it was dated to around 1290-104BC and may potentially have been hair rings, as seen on wigs on Egyptian tombs or an earring or nose ring.
The axes were also dated to the Bronze Age.
Of the other items, Mr Ramsey said the 21 silver coins include 15 silver pennies marked with Edward II and six silver groats with Edward III. He said they dated between 1279-1377.
He said why coins were buried remains a matter of speculation, perhaps buried at times of trouble in times before banks.
He described Anglo-Norman settlement in the area, with a 12th century motte, and two medieval tower houses.
Meanwhile, the Agnus Dei pendant was found in Lisnamallard, Co Fermanagh on November 13, 2018.
Mr Ramsey described it as around 3cms in diameter bearing the symbol of the lamb of God, and likely to have been intended to be worn on a chain or piece of leather around the neck.
He said it was measured as having a silver content of around 89%, adding it was probably made around the 15th or the 16th century.
“Agnus Dei pendants were originally designed to hold the wax from what are known as pastoral candles… the candles symbolised the light of Christ and they were lit at Easter on Holy Saturday and extinguished on Easter Sunday. The wax was believed to hold some kind of symbolism and power,” he said.
“The pendant is intended to be sealed but when you shake it now it rattles a little bit so we are guessing the internal contents are part of the dried wax.
“Perhaps this was a pendant belonging to a pilgrim who was travelling to St Patrick’s Purgatory in Lough Derg, Co Donegal.”
Oliver Dowden, the chairman of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party, resigned on Friday, saying it could not carry on with business as usual after two crushing by-election defeats and someone had to take responsibility.
Ike Ekweremadu and wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu appear in court in London after Heathrow arrest
Justice wrote in concurrent opinion on Friday’s ruling that court should reconsiderGriswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.
Residents may see an increased police presence in Southend today as youngsters celebrate the end of their exams.
Baroness Scotland of Asthal has been re-elected as Secretary General of the Commonwealth, in a blow for the Prime Minister who attempted to have her ousted by backing a rival candidate.
THE family of a man who drowned in a fishing boat tragedy are “bemused” by a report released yesterday.
Labour left-wingers to campaign for MPs to ‘do their jobs’ and back industrial action
Conservative MP Laura Farris wants the Sentencing Code amended amid concerns the law does not adequately punish such crimes.
Eleven offences have been recorded since Wednesday morning.
Price pleaded guilty to breaching the order.
The Prime Minister bowed his head during a wreath laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
A Southampton man planned to build a house in Spain with the money he earned from drug dealing, a court heard.
'Emmerdale' star Lisa Riley has returned to the ITV soap following a family tragedy, and confirmed her character Mandy Dingle will be back on screen in the middle of July.
Two metal detectorists who damaged a protected fort dating to the Iron Age have been sentenced to unpaid work in the community.
The club said it was “disappointed” to learn Oli McBurnie and Rhian Brewster have been charged.
The ceremony is a celebration of rock and alternative music.
LONDON (Reuters) -Strikes crippled Britain's rail network for the second day this week and staff at British Airways voted for a walkout on Thursday amid warnings the country was facing a summer of industrial discontent. A spike in the cost of food and fuel is pushing many household budgets to the brink, driving trade unions to demand higher pay increases for their members. Britain's rail network was brought close to a standstill when 40,000 workers went on strike following a similar walkout on Tuesday, as union leaders, train operating firms and the government faced off over demands for pay increases to keep pace with surging inflation and a promise not to cut jobs.
OXFORD United will face Chelsea Under 21s in the Papa John’s Trophy, as their group was finalised.
A senior Conservative MP said that industrial action would amount to another ‘lockdown’ for children.
The Electoral Calculus data predicts an almost entire Tory wipeout across Lancashire with all but three areas either staying or turning red.