Arbeia Roman Fort, Torc Beads

Copper-alloy beads from a native British beaded torc were found during excavations north-east of the mid-Antonine principia at South Shields Roman Fort. The bead fragments are plain and simple in design. There are two separate beads, almost certainly a third, plus a further fragment. The beads are flat, three of them decorated with transverse grooves. The fourth piece is undecorated and smaller than the others, and may have been part of the bead resting against the neck. Similar examples of beads have been found at Corbridge and Settle. Beaded torcs are only found in Britain and usually in the north.