Bracelet

This heavy gold bracelet was found by divers on the sea bed in the Sound of Jura in 1981. It is one of only two Viking-age gold bracelets found in Scotland, but can be dated to the 10th century by analogy to Scandinavian examples.

The bracelet was made of two gold rods twisted together which merge into an elongated band-like plate. The plate has been decorated with punched stamps of rings, lozenges and pellets.

The technique of twisting silver rods into neck, arm and finger rings was popular amongst the Scandinavians, producing simple and elegant objects for displaying wealth. Gold was sometimes used, but in Scotland almost always for finger rings.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-083-261-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.FE 103
• Date: Between 900 and 1000
  
• Material: Gold; oval, two rods twisted together, elongated plate of rectangular cross-section; decoration of ring-stamps and punched dots
  Ring, arm / bracelet
  
• Dimensions: 76 mm x 63 mm
  
• What: Ring, arm / bracelet
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Argyll, Sound of Jura (Found by skin-divers)
  
• Event:
• Description: Gold arm ring consisting of two rods twisted together merging into an elongated plate and decorated with ring-stamps and punched dots, Viking period, found by skin-divers in the Sound of Jura
  
• References:
  • Graham-Campbell, James. The Viking-age gold and silver of Scotland (AD 850-1100). Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland, 1995, pp 30, 55, 164. 
  • PSAS 113 (1983); Graham-Campbell, J. / A Viking-age gold arm-ring from the Sound of Jura, 640 - 642 
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