Scabbard chape of silver gilt

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A scabbard chape was placed at the end of the scabbard to protect the sword tip. This silver gilt example is one of two from a hoard of Pictish metalwork found on the site of an early Christian church on St Ninian's Isle at Dunrossness in Shetland.

The chape ends in animal heads who each bite a small fish. The eyes of fish and animals were set with glass, but only some survive. Two Latin inscriptions are inscribed, interpreted as 'In the name of God' and 'Property of the son of the holy spirit.'

The use of Christian inscriptions on weapons is not common, but is found on other ornate, high status armour of the period, such as the helmet from York, England. The chape suggests that the owner of the hoard was probably Christian.

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• Online ID: 000-100-036-431-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.FC 282
• Date: 8th century
  Buried between 750 and 825
  
• Material: Silver gilt, much worn; horseshoe shape; two riveted pieces perforated near each end; zoomorphic terminals linked by a curved band inscribed on both sides; crest has a series of pairs of curved lines on one side, dolphins on the other side. Inscription: i
  Scabbard chape
  
• Dimensions: 3.15" max W
  
• What: Scabbard chape
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  
• Event:
• Description: Silver scabbard chape with Latin inscriptions, animals and fish, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  
• References:
  • Small, A., Thomas, C., & Wilson, D. M. St. Ninian's Isle and its Treasure. London: Oxford University Press,1973 
  • Webster, Leslie and Backhouse, Janet. The making of England. Anglo-Saxon art and culture AD 600-900. London: British Museum Press, 1991, pp 223-4. 
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