Jet bead

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This jet bead is one of two found in a man's grave at Kildonan on Eigg in the Inner Hebrides. He was buried between 875 and 925 with a sword, a plain penannular brooch, a belt, a whetstone, these beads and some small pieces of flint.

The plain bead has a flat upper and lower surface, and rounded edges.

There are no Scandinavian sources of jet, and the only significant British source of good quality jet occurs around Whitby in Yorkshire. Jet objects were considered exotic items from at least the 2nd millennium BC, and much prized by the Vikings.

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• Online ID: 000-100-043-722-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.IL 175
• Date: Between 875 and 925
  
• Material: Jet
  Bead
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Bead
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Inverness-shire, Eigg, Kildonan
  
• Event:
• Description: Jet bead from Kildonan, Eigg
  
• References:
  • Grieg, Sigurd. Viking Antiquities in Scotland (=Viking Antiquities in Great Britain and Ireland, Part II, ed. by Haakon Shetelig). Oslo: H. Aschehoug & Co., 1940, pp 69-70. 
• Translations:
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