The ornaments of the Britons, like those of the Gauls, consisted of rings, bracelets, armlets, a collar or necklace of twisted wires of gold or silver, called torch or dorch in British, and peculiarly a symbol of rank and command. The ancient Lord of Yale was called Llewellyn am Dorchog, or Llewellyn with the Torques. The one here represented is of brass, and was found on the Quantoc Hills. So fond, indeed, were the Britons of ornaments of this kind, that those who could not procure them of the precious metals wore torques of iron, "of which they were not a little vain[1]" The ring, according to Pliny, was worn on the middle finger[2].
Fig. a, a torque of brass found on the Quantoc Hills, and engraved in the Archæologia, vol. xiv.; b, an ornament of brass; c, a bracelet ; d, an annular ornament of bronze for fastening the mantle, Archæologia, vol. xxii. pi. 25, but therein called a bracelet; e, a piece of British earthenware, Archaeologia, vol. xxi. Appendix.
