Rare Iron Age brooch banned from being sold abroad

A rare Iron Age horse brooch has been made the subject of a temporary export ban in the hope it will be acquired by a UK museum.

In 2023 the ornate metal object, found near Sutton Scotney, Hampshire, was sold at auction to a foreign buyer for £4,200.

However, the government has valued it at £18,500 due to its rarity and quality.

The brooch, dating from about the 1st Century, is thought to have been part of a harness for a horse-drawn vehicle and is one of only 10 known in Britain, the government said.

Tim Pestell, from the government's art export review committee, said: "For Britons in the late Iron Age, horsemanship and charioteering were prized skills both socially and in warfare, as noted by the Roman invaders.

"This pride led people to decorate their horses with ornate tack and fittings, one of the rarest forms being so-called horse brooches," he said.

"With its exceptional preservation, intriguing basket-weave pattern and outstanding aesthetic design, the Sutton Scotney Brooch is a remarkable survival."

The 7cm (3in)-long copper alloy brooch is decorated with curved shapes and grooves.

The design links it with objects from the same period which have been found across Europe, the experts said.

Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: "This harness brooch, dating back to the Iron Age, is a rare artefact that is of major importance to the local history of Hampshire.

"I hope by placing an export bar on this rare brooch, it will continue to benefit the UK public and researchers in the study of the horse harness, chariotry, and crafting of metalwork, enriching our understanding of our country's history."

The government has set a deadline of 9 March for bids.

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