This beautiful Iron Age mirror, made of polished bronze, was found in the grave of a woman, along with other personal items. It is a wonderful example of Celtic art and one of the finest pieces to be found in Dorset.
The grave, dating from the 1st century AD, contained an elderly woman’s body, lying in a crouched position. As well as the mirror, she was buried with two brooches, glass beads, coins, tweezers and nail and ear cleaners.
The lavish grave goods indicate that the woman was an important figure in her community.
The mirror is made of polished bronze with an engraved back. But some experts believe that such mirrors weren’t connected with personal appearance, but more to do with ritual, seeing the future, or a symbol of religious power. So the swirly Celtic art decoration on the back might have been designed to bestow the mirror with magical powers – patterns like these are used on other powerful Iron Age objects like swords and shields.
Fewer than 30 of this type of mirror have been discovered in the UK.
Research also shows that at the woman’s funeral, the guests ate roasted pork and put aside some for her to carry into the afterlife. She was also provided with pots and a bronze pan for making warm wine.
The mirror was found by a metal detectorist, who reported it to Weymouth Museum. They then called in Wessex Archaeology to excavate the grave. Dorset County Museum bought the finds in 1996, after a successful appeal to raise £65,000.
As part of the Grave Goods Project (see below), the former Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, was invited to write three poems for children inspired by the findings in three ancient burials. He said the project reminded him of personal items placed in his son’s casket, who died aged 18 of meningitis. Listen to a video of Michael reading the poem. You can read the words below.
The objects from the Portesham grave, along with those from two other burials, are the subject of the unique Grave Goods Project. This involves the British Museum and Reading and Manchester universities, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Britain is internationally renowned for the high quality and exquisite crafting of its late prehistoric grave goods. Objects from burials have helped archaeologists to interpret society at that time. They provide insights into prehistoric lives, and demonstrate the care shown to the dead by the living, and of people’s relationships with ‘things’.
The power is in me
The power is me
I am the power
I am the one and only
that sees it all
for now and for ever.
It looked like you looked in me
like people look in rivers
but you weren’t looking for you.
You wanted my power
to see beyond yourself,
to see what it is
we will be.
The power is in me
The power is me
I am the power
And now you are there
beyond yourself
in the company of what
you let people see
mattered to you most:
the tastes on your tongue
the shine of your show
the blood on the blade.
But I saw that look
to see yourself beyond yourself
And see:
I am
in the time beyond yourself
I am
in the time you looked for
when you looked in me.
The power is in me.
The power is me.
I am the power.
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.
The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!
