Mould for casting mounts

This is a mould for casting mounts for Pictish hanging-bowls. It was excavated in 1971 at the Pictish fort of Craig Phadrig in Inverness-shire. The mould provides evidence of metalworking at the site between 600 and 700.

This is the front half of a bivalve mould. The mount from this mould would most probably have been cast in bronze. It would have measured 25 mm in diameter.

Mounts of similar design have been mainly found on hanging-bowls from Anglo-Saxon graves in England. A mount of this precise design has, however, been found on a fragmentary hanging-bowl from Castle Tioram in Argyll.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-041-152-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HH 885
• Date: Between 600 and 700
  
• Material: Clay; most of one valve
  Mould, hanging bowl escutcheon
  
• Dimensions: 2.50" H x 2.10" W; 2.50" est original D
  
• What: Mould, hanging bowl escutcheon
  
• Subject:
• Who: Alan Small, F.S.A.Scot. (Excavator)
  
• Where: Scotland, Inverness-shire, Craig Phadrig
  
• Event:
• Description: Clay mould for the escutcheon of a hanging bowl, from Craig Phadrig, Inverness-shire
  
• References:
  • Youngs, Susan (ed). 'The Work of Angels'. Masterpieces of Celtic metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD. London: British Museums Publications Ltd, 1989, p 52. 
• Translations:
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