from Burray, Orkney

Bowl (fragments)

These fragments of a wooden bowl held at least part of the contents of the large Viking Age silver hoard found at Burray in Orkney. According to early reports, the bowl fell to pieces shortly after discovery. The hoard was buried between 997 and 1010.

Only distorted pieces of the bowl survive, together with pieces of twine which may be modern. A reconstruction, based on distinctive turning marks on the exterior, suggests that it probably had a diameter of around 10 cm and a height of around 9 cm.

A range of objects were used to hold Viking Age hoards in Scotland, including stone vessels, wooden bowls, and cattle horns. Cloth or leather bags were probably common, but have rotted away.

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Online ID:	000-100-104-166-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 269
Date:	800 - 1100 AD Deposited around 997 and 1010
Material:	Wood
Dimensions:
What:	Dish / portion
Subject:
Who:
Where:	Scotland, Orkney, Burray
Event:
Description:	Portion of a wooden dish which contained part of the Burray hoard, from Orkney, Viking period, 800 - 1100 AD
References:	Graham-Campbell, James. The Viking-age gold and silver of Scotland (AD 850-1100), 1995, pp. 51-2, 59-60, 131-2. Ritchie, Anna. Viking Scotland London: B.T. Batsford Ltd/Historic Scotland, 1993, pp. 74-5. Find in NLS: Title, Author, Title+Author or British Library: Title, Author, Title+Author
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