Silver wine cups

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These silver wine cups are three of six found at Traprain Law in East Lothian. The cups were part of a hoard containing over 150 silver objects, mainly tableware, buried between 410 and 425 AD. Silver cups of this type are not common.

Two of the cups have gilt interiors. One has a new foot, while another is missing its stem and foot, which in the picture have been reconstructed in plastic. On the underside of the other cup are the letters 'CON', perhaps short for the owner's name.

All the silver in the large Traprain Law hoard was treated as scrap, with virtually all of it cut up and bent over. It probably represents payment to ensure the loyalty of a friendly chief, but other theories include payment for warriors or loot.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-039-677-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.GVA 15
• Date: Deposited between 410 and 425 AD
  
• Material: Silver: interior gilt; with new foot
  Silver; baluster stem flat; circular foot with grooved drawn wire edge; foot re-affixed
  Silver; shallow; rim inturned, rounded on top
  Bowl / cup, wine
  Cup, wine
  Cup, wine
  
• Dimensions: 3.63" H; mouth 3.19" D; weight 6.40 oz
  4.13" H; weight 8.40 oz
  Mouth 3.81" D; weight 2.50 oz
  
• What: Bowl / cup, wine
  Cup, wine
  Cup, wine
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, East Lothian, Traprain Law
  Scotland, East Lothian, Traprain Law
  Scotland, East Lothian, Traprain Law
  
• Event:
• Description: Silver wine cup with a flat baluster stem and a circular foot with grooved drawn wire edge, from Traprain Law
  Silver wine cup, interior gilt, with a new foot, from Traprain Law
  Shallow silver bowl or wine cup with inturned rim, rounded on top, from Traprain Law
  
• References:
  • Curle, Alexander O. The treasure of Traprain. A Scottish hoard of Roman silver plate. Glasgow: Maclehose, Jackson and Co., 1923, pp. 28-9. 
  • Kent, J.P.C. and Painter, K.S. Wealth of the Roman world AD 300-700. London: Trustees of the British Museum, 1977, pp. 123-4. 
• Translations:
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