From St Ninian's Isle, Dunrossness, Shetland
000-190-000-975-C © National Museums Scotland |
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Silver bowl
This silver bowl was found in a hoard containing 28 silver objects and part of the jaw of a porpoise, buried in a ruined chapel on St Ninian's Isle, at Dunrossness, on Shetland between 750 and 825. The objects probably belonged to a Pictish chief.
This picture shows the sides and bottom of the bowl. Both are decorated using punched dots to create a pattern, a distinctive type of decoration by Pictish craftsmen. The sides of the bowl have interlaced animals and the bottom has a geometric pattern.
The St Ninian's Isle hoard contained eight silver bowls, 12 silver brooches, a sword pommel, two chapes, two eating utensils, three mounts and part of a porpoise's jawbone. They were buried under a church's floor, presumably for safekeeping.
Record details
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Online ID: |
000-190-000-975-C |
Image Rights Holder: |
National Museums Scotland |
Project: |
0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project |
Ref: |
National Museums Scotland X.FC 274 |
Date: |
Between 750 and 825
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Material: |
Basal depression; wide interlaced bands, dot outline and dotted background on upper zone; single line of interlaced dots on lower zone; dotted whirl pattern on base With deep basal depression; decorated with a procession of four contorted animals on a dotted background; Greek key pattern of dotted lines in narrow zone below; base filled with four panels of interlaced dotted lines
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Dimensions: |
5.10" D x 1.40" deep 5.75" D x 1.90" deep
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What: |
Bowl Bowl
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Subject: |
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Who: |
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Where: |
Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
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Event: |
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Description: |
Bowl with deep basal depression, decorated with a procession of four contorted animals on a dotted background, from St Ninian's Isle, Shetland Bowl with basal depression, the upper zone with wide interlaced bands, dot outline and dotted background, a dotted whirl pattern on base, from St Ninian's Isle, Shetland
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References: |
- Small, A., Thomas, C., and Wilson, D.M. St. Ninian's Isle and its treasure. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1973, vol. 1, pp 47-9.
- Youngs, Susan (ed). 'The Work of Angels'. Masterpieces of Celtic metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD. London: British Museums Publications Ltd, 1989, p. 109.
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