The Rillaton gold cup

Workmen undertaking construction work in 1837 excavated a burial cairn for stone on part of Bodmin Moor, at Rillaton, Northern England. Within the cairn they came upon a stone-lined vault, or cist, 2.4 m long and 1.1 m wide. It contained a bronze-age barrow housing the decayed remains of a human skeleton accompanied by a bronze dagger, a decorated pottery vessel, a 'metallic rivet', 'some pieces of ivory' and 'a few glass beads'. However, the most notable item found amongst these discoveries must be what is now known as the Rillaton Gold Cup.

The cup is a biconical gold vessel, 90mm high, with a handle attached with rivets. It was beaten out of a single lump of gold of the highest purity. The cup resembles a late Neolithic (approx 2300BC) ceramic beaker with corded decoration and was until 2007 thought to date to a much later period of c. 1650-1400 BC. In 2001 a similar cup was found at Ringlemere which was of the same style. The artefacts in the grave were carbon dated to approximately 2300BC.

Subsequent theories that the Rillaton Cup have been a votive offering have now been abandoned in favour of it being theorised as part of the original grave goods in the Ringlemere barrow. The cup is of particular note as the style features Aegean style metalwork and resembles similar Greek items from the same time, suggesting trading links with the the East Mediterranean.

The cup's royal history continued after its discovery. It became lost for a period after discovery, but emerged years later in the dressing room of King George V as a receptacle for his collar studs. It was thought to have been sent as Duchy Treasure Trove to William IV (reigned 1831-37) very shortly before his death.