Bone playing piece

This bone playing piece was found at Freswick in Caithness. It was used sometime after 1000.

The disc-shaped playing piece was made from cetacean bone, bone from a sea mammal such as a whale or a dolphin. It has concentric rings, presumably carved as the disc was turned, and ring-and-dot decoration.

An important late Norse farm existed at Freswick Bay. It is mentioned in Norse sagas, and a series of buildings have been excavated, most dating between the 11th and 13th century.

Record details

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Online ID:	000-100-043-887-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0098: National Museums Scotland Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland X.IL 666
Date:	After 1000
Material:	Bone, cetacean
Dimensions:	1.88" D; 0.25" thick
What:	Playing piece
Subject:
Who:
Where:	Scotland, Caithness, Freswick Links
Event:
Description:	Decorated draughtsman-like piece of cetacean bone from Freswick
References:
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