Bowl of brass, possibly a cooking vessel

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This brass bowl was found at Dowalton Loch Crannog in Wigtownshire. The base and external sides have soot encrustations, suggesting that the bowl was used as a cooking vessel. Later it was deposited in the loch as an offering to the gods.

The bowl is made of two raised brass sheets fastened by rivets, with a simple folded rim. It has been extensively patched and repaired. There are two opposed pairs of holes in the wall of the bowl, originally for mounts for carrying handles.

Dowalton Loch appears to have been a sacred site for millennia. Prestigious objects dating from the Bronze Age to Medieval periods were found on the bed of the loch when it was drained. Vessels may have been symbolic of fertility and plenty.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-043-324-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HU 2
• Date: Between 650 and 1000
  
• Material: Bronze; sheet metal fastened by rivets
  Basin
  
• Dimensions: 10.00" x 4.00"
  
• What: Basin
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Wigtownshire, Dowalton Loch (Crannog)
  
• Event:
• Description: Bronze basin of raised sheet metal fastened by rivets, from Dowalton Loch Crannog
  
• References:
  • Hunter, Fraser. Dowalton Loch reconsidered. Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, 3rd ser. 69 (1994), pp 53-71. 
• Translations:
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