Jamie Hood, British Museum As work on the Chiseldon Iron Age
cauldrons progresses we are constantly making discoveries.
Possibly the most exciting feature we have found so far is a
decorated handle. The decorated handle and section of rim came
from a cauldron that had broken into several pieces during
burial due to the weight of the overlying soil. Although we had
used X-radiography to examine the handle fragment in its soil
block before we began conservation, it was difficult to make out
the surface due to the dense soil and corroded condition of the
metal. This meant that when I was removing the soil I had to
progress extremely slowly. However, it made discovering the
decoration below especially exciting. The decoration consists of
three curved plates that have been riveted below the rim on
either side of and directly beneath the handle. The additional
plates were carefully made and are likely not only to have been
decorative, but also served to strengthen the point where the
handle is attached. While the p