Hoard

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These objects are from a hoard of jewellery, metalworking raw materials, coins, a large balance weight and three stone spindle whorls found at Talnotrie, Glen of the Bar in Kirkcudbrightshire. It probably belonged to a Northumbrian metalworker.

The silver strap end inlaid in niello, and the pair of silver disc-headed pins were made in England. The lead weight with gilt bronze mount and gold finger ring were probably made in the British Isles. Some of the coins are fragmentary or pierced.

The contents of the Talnotrie hoard are an unusual mixture of objects. The coins are from the Arabic empire, England or France, and, together with the weight, suggest some Viking influence in the accumulation of the hoard.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-004-238-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.FC 227
• Date: 853 - 874
  853 - 874
  853 - 874
  853 - 874
  Deposited between 875 and 900
  
• Material: Agate; in rough state
  Beeswax-like substance
  Broken
  Bronze; cross-shaped; with part of an oval setting of a semitransparent stone in the centre
  Claystone
  Claystone
  Claystone
  Glass, greenish; convex face
  Globular; ornamented with quadrants filled with triquetra scrolls of filigree work
  Gold; plain
  Jet or lignite
  Lead; with brass top ornamented with interlaced work
  Metal; small
  Silver; melted
  Silver; obverse ornamented with a plain circle enclosing a pattern formed by four painted ovals end to end, their inner outlines forming a concave sided quadrant; beaded margin
  Silver; obverse ornamented with a plain circle enclosing a pattern formed by four painted ovals end to end, their inner outlines forming a concave sided quadrant; beaded margin
  Silver; obverse with panel of niello ornamented with zoomorphic design; reverse plain
  Wire; twisted; oval; free end bent into a twisted hook
  Wire; twisted; oval; free end bent into a twisted hook
  Agate / piece
  Beeswax / cake / portion
  Belt tag
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin / fragment
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Glass / portion
  Jet / lignite / piece
  Loop
  Loop
  Metal / fragment
  Object
  Pin
  Pin
  Pinhead
  Ring, finger
  Silver / portion
  Weight
  Whorl
  Whorl
  Whorl
  
• Dimensions: 0.75" D
  1.25" D
  1.38" D
  1.50" x 1.25" x 0.75"
  1.75" D
  1360 gr. Troy weight
  
• What: Agate / piece
  Beeswax / cake / portion
  Belt tag
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin
  Coin / fragment
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Coin, styca
  Glass / portion
  Jet / lignite / piece
  Loop
  Loop
  Metal / fragment
  Object
  Pin
  Pin
  Pinhead
  Ring, finger
  Silver / portion
  Weight
  Whorl
  Whorl
  Whorl
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  Scotland, Kirkcudbrightshire, Minnigaff, Talnotrie
  
• Event:
• Description: Lead weight with a brass top ornamented with interlaced work, from Talnotrie
  Globular pinhead ornamented with quadrants filled with triquetra scrolls of filigree work, from Talnotrie
  Silver belt tag with a panel of niello ornamented with zoomorphic design on the obverse, from Talnotrie
  Silver pin ornamented on the obverse with a beaded margin round a plain circle enclosing a pattern formed by four painted ovals end to end, from Talnotrie
  Silver pin ornamented on the obverse with a beaded margin round a plain circle enclosing a pattern formed by four painted ovals end to end, from Talnotrie
  Oval loop of twisted wire with the free end bent into a twisted hook, from Talnotrie
  Oval loop of twisted wire with the free end bent into a twisted hook, from Talnotrie
  Plain gold finger ring from Talnotrie
  Object of thin bronze shaped like a cross, with part of an oval setting of a semitransparent stone in the centre, from Talnotrie
  Piece of greenish glass with convex face, from Talnotrie
  Northumbrian styca from Talnotrie
  Northumbrian styca from Talnotrie
  Northumbrian styca from Talnotrie
  Northumbrian styca from Talnotrie
  Northumbrian styca from Talnotrie
  Northumbrian styca from Talnotrie
  Coin of Burgred, King of Mercia, 853 - 874, from Talnotrie
  Coin of Burgred, King of Mercia, 853 - 874, from Talnotrie
  Coin of Burgred, King of Mercia, 853 - 874, from Talnotrie
  Coin of Burgred, King of Mercia, 853 - 874, from Talnotrie
  Fragmentary French coin probably of the Carolingian period, from Talnotrie
  Broken Cufic coin, probably of the period of the Abbasid Caliphs, from Talnotrie
  Two pieces of melted silver from Talnotrie
  Six small metal fragments from Talnotrie
  Claystone whorl from Talnotrie
  Claystone whorl from Talnotrie
  Claystone whorl from Talnotrie
  Circular piece of jet or lignite from Talnotrie
  Piece of agate in a rough state, from Talnotrie
  Part of a cake of beeswax-like substance, from Talnotrie
  
• References:
  • Graham-Campbell, James. The Viking-age gold and silver of Scotland (AD 850-1100). Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland, 1995, p 4. 
  • Webster, Leslie and Backhouse, Janet. The making of England. Anglo-Saxon art and culture AD 600-900. London: British Museum Press, 1991, pp 273-4. 
• Translations:
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