Penannular brooch of silver gilt

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This silver gilt penannular brooch was found in a hoard containing silver objects and part of a porpoise's jaw, buried on St Ninian's Isle at Dunrossness in Shetland sometime between 750 and 825. The hoard probably belonged to a Pictish chief.

The brooch's terminals each have three projecting lobes and a semicircular field where the terminal meets the hoop. Originally, the brooch was set with ten studs, of which eight survive.

The St Ninian's Isle hoard contained 12 brooches, most of them silver gilt. They are all characteristically Pictish in form, yet each is individually crafted with differences in design and technique. All were objects worn to display status and wealth.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-036-442-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.FC 293
• Date: 8th century
  Buried between 750 and 825
  
• Material: Silver gilt; terminals with three large and one small lobe round disc; hoop of five ribs, the central one wider; interlace down whole length of pin
  Brooch, penannular
  
• Dimensions: 2.75" D
  
• What: Brooch, penannular
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  
• Event:
• Description: Penannular brooch of silver-gilt, once set with ten glass studs of which eight remain, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  
• References:
  • Calder, Jenni. The wealth of a nation. Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland and Glasgow: Richard Drew Publishing, 1989, p 158. 
  • Small, A., Thomas, C., & Wilson, D. M. St. Ninian's Isle and its Treasure. London: Oxford University Press,1973 
• Translations:
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