Torque sterling silver

Original torque, traditionally made in sterling silver and jet black, with the technique of filigree, Designed and manufactured in Spain.

Size: Adjustable.
Tip diameter: 17mm

Whence come Torques? What are you ?, then we have a little bit of the history of these jewels:

A torque, also spelled torq or torc (Latin 'torquing', twist, due to the twisted shape of the collar) is a rigid and round collar, which is open at the front, as a circular horseshoe. Typically the two ends of torque had ornaments carved with spheres, cubes or zoomorphic forms, and less frequently human figures. The body of the necklace was usually, but not always, coated. Although the most common were necklaces, bracelets also existed in this way. Torques were made of interlocking metal strings, usually gold, bronze or copper, and silver in very few cases.

It is important to note that because "torc" in Old Irish means "boar", similar to "torcos" Gallo, you can establish a relationship with the sacred value of the animal in Celtic mythology. This would suggest some kind of equivalence between the collar and the animal symbol for death and resurrection.

Torques were used by several villages of the Bronze Age, from 1000 to. C., until about 300, including the Galatians (or Celts of Anatolia), several Germanic tribes of Scythia and the Persians. However, it is widely known as a typically Celtic necklace, from the time of La Tene, led mainly by Britons, Gauls and Iberians.

One of the earliest known depictions of a torque is in the Warrior Hirschlanden a itifálica statue of a naked warrior made of sandstone, the oldest anthropomorphic representation of lifesize Iron Age found north of the Alps. It was conducted by the Hallstat culture in the early Iron Age (800-475 BC.) and can be observed in the Württembergisches Landesmuseum in Stuttgart.

The representations of gods and goddesses in Celtic mythology frequently show the use of torques. The famous sculpture "Dying Gaul" [1] Roman copy of a Greek original, shows a warrior, Gallic wounded is naked except for the torque. Examples of this have been discovered in Britain and Europe during archaeological studies [2]. A notable example was found in the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo burial mound.

Some authors think that torque was a feminine ornament for women until the fourth century. C., when an attribute of warriors turned. However, most authors disagree, arguing that they were used as a sign of nobility and high social status: a military decoration awarded to warriors for their deeds in battle, as well as a divine attribute, based on that many representations of gods Celtic carry one or more torques. They have found images of the god Cernunnos wearing a torque around his neck, hanging from their torques antlers or held in hand and torques on the graves of Celtic princes.

Because the Roman consul Titus Manlius after a Gallic challenge to a fight and kill him, took his torque and always took him since, received the nickname Torquatus (which carries a torque). Thus the Romans adopted torque as a decoration for distinguished soldiers and elite units during the Republican period.

The two main torques Late Bronze found in the Peninsula (and more specifically in the current Extremadura) belong to two separate sets of gold jewelry, called respectively Treasury Berzocana (Cáceres, 1964) and Treasury Sagrajas (Badajoz, 1970). Both are now in the National Archaeological Museum of Spain, in Madrid.

They have also been found notable pieces in Arguedas (Navarra), in a necropolis Celtiberian the second Iron Age (300 BC.), that because the body cremations were found fragmented. Only one was found in excellent condition, bronze, with two balls flattened at each end.

Also, on the coast of Lugo torque of solid gold, an outstanding piece belonging to asturnorgalaico type, dated to the first century comes from Chao do Castro, City of Burela, and belonged to the Collection White-Cicero, he found the He happened to Gil Varela. The characteristics of this torques are the characteristics of this type: circular rod, coiled wires at both ends and tapered and Scotland thirds auctions. The middle third has a good filigree work. Today it is exhibited in the Provincial Museum of Lugo. It measures 211 mm in diameter and 65 mm length of the auction, with a weight of 1,812 grams of good quality gold (23 karat), weight well above the average weight they used to have the Celtic torques, about 500 grams.

Modern Torques
The hippie movement of the 60 'and 70' back to the torque to fashion, not only as necklaces and bracelets, but also as rings. Torques bracelets are often used today by men and women. On the other hand, the torques are popularly used as piercing ears, nipples, navels and other body parts.

Torque is also the symbol of Saoi, Aosdána highest honor, the Irish organization of artists, which can be granted to any of its members.

Some European, Celtic Wicca, Asatru Neo-Druidism and neo-pagan movements have recovered old traditions and customs in the use of torques and other decorative accessories.