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This is a detail of the head of a silver pin found at Jarlshof on Shetland. It dates from the time of the Scandinavian occupation, between 900 and 1100. The pin is a rich object from a site with few precious metal finds.

The head of the stick pin is a polyhedral (a rectangle whose corners have been shaved off). The flat faces are edged with a series of punched rings. The top and the facets of the pinhead are plain.

A variety of stamps decorated Viking Age silver. The two most popular types of punch in Scandinavia were the simple ring-stamp, sometimes with ring-and-dot variation, and the triangle with one or three pellets, often combined to form an hourglass.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-000-989-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.GA 998
• Date: Between 900 and 1100
  
• Material: Silver; head square with angles bevelled off
  
• Dimensions: 154 mm L
  
• What:
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Shetland, Sumburgh, Jarlshof
  
• Event:
• Description: Norse silver stick pin from Jarlshof
  
• References:
  • Graham-Campbell, James. The Viking-age gold and silver of Scotland (AD 850-1100), 1995, pp. 32, 158. 
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