A PRICELESS Bronze Age artefact was back home in North Wales yesterday for the first time in 170 years. The famous Mold Cape is on display at Wrexham Museum until December. Discovered in 1833 it is the largest example of decorated prehistoric gold-work ever found in Europe. The cape, dated to 1900-1600BC, was bought by the British Museum in 1836 and is one of its top 10 treasures. It was loaned to the recently renovated Wrexham Museum and forms the centrepiece of the touring "Recreations: Visualising Our Past" exhibition.. The display is made up of objects and paintings from the collections of historic monuments group Cadw and the National Museums and Galleries of Wales. A security officer will stand guard over the cape until the exhibition finishes on December 17. Speaking at the unveiling Welsh Assembly culture minister Alun Pugh said: "The Mold cape is a unique treasure and one of the finest examples of Bronze Age gold work anywhere in the world. "With this extraordinary piece back in North Wales for the first time in 170 years, I am sure there will be no shortage of visitors who want to see this fascinating piece of Wales' prehistoric past." The exhibition is being funded by the Welsh Assembly. Yesterday dignitaries packed into the museum to see the cape unveiled. British Museum director Neil Mac-Gregor said: "The British Museum is delighted to be loaning the Mold gold cape to Wales." The cape was discovered in 1833 by workmen quarrying stone in a field called Bryn Yr Ellyllon - not far from what is now the Mold Rugby Club ground. It was found in a Bronze Age burial mound alongside the remains of a skeleton and a number of amber beads. During the fragile item's initial recovery it broke. Weighing 560g, it had to be painstakingly restored. Small fragments have come to light over the years and been added to the cape. Archeologists and prehistorians still debate the cape's original use. Initially experts thought it was a chest ornament for a horse. Current thinking suggests it is a ceremonial garment made for a woman. It was beaten out of a single gold ingot and embellished with intense decoration. The bronze age was a busy time in North east Wales with finds at Acton, Rossett and Burton Hoards pointing to the area being skilled in metal work. Deputy Wrexham Mayor George James said: "We are grateful to all those partners who have worked closely to bring the exhibition to Wrexham for the public to enjoy over the next three months." He said it was the most significant heritage exhibition ever hosted in Wrexham. The artefacts return to North Wales inspired Mold business leaders to renew their calls for a culture, archaeology and pre-history centre - possibly next to Clwyd Theatr Cymru. One day they hope to bring the cape back home permanently as the star attraction. | 
