Mount (detail), for bell shrine

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This is a detail of the end of a bronze mount for a bell shrine found at Inchaffray Abbey in Perthshire. The site was once an island, on which an abbey was founded in 1200. This shrine is earlier, dating from between 1000 and 1200.

The bell shrine mount was broken into two pieces. This picture shows one of them: the end of the mount. The ends were formed as three-dimensional animals, with lentoid eyes and swirling tendrils.

The Scandinavian settlement in the British Isles resulted in a fusion of some art styles and jewellery. The Scandinavian Ringerike art style, with its characteristic tendrils, was absorbed by the Irish, and even used on religious objects such as this one.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-000-320-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.KA 32 A
• Date: Between 1000 and 1200
  
• Material: Bronze; with Celtic interlace
  Bell shrine mount / portion
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Bell shrine mount / portion
  
• Subject: Ecclesiastical bells (NMAS Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Perthshire, Inchaffray
  
• Event:
• Description: Part of a bell shrine mount of bronze with Celtic interlace, from Inchaffray
  
• References:
  • Graham-Campbell, James and Batey, Colleen E. Vikings in Scotland. An Archaeological Survey. Edinburgh: University Press, 1998, p 103. 
• Translations:
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