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This bronze ringed pin was found in a cist burial at Machrins on Colonsay in the Inner Hebrides. The complete body did not survive, but was probably that of a woman who was also buried with a knife, nail, an object in sheet bronze and a small dog.

The ringed pin has a movable ring at one end to which some thread would have been attached. The other end of the thread would have been looped over the tip of the pin to stop it from slipping out of the garment. It may have been used to fasten the shroud.

Ringed pins are a type of dress pin, often with decoration on the heads. They are an Irish type of pin which was adopted by Vikings, especially those living in western Europe. Examples occur in bronze and silver.

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• Online ID: 000-100-104-169-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HR 1560
• Date: 850 - 950
  Between 850 and 950
  
• Material: Copper alloy; loose ring head; shaft, subrectangular in section, rolled over top to secure ring head
  
• Dimensions: Shaft 96 mm L, head c 21 mm overall D, ring c 4 mm thick
  
• What:
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Argyll, Colonsay, Machrins, Cnoc nan Gall
  
• Event:
• Description: Bronze ringed pin found in a cist burial at Machrins, Colonsay, 850 - 950
  
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