Silver objects and part of the lower jawbone of a porpoise

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These silver objects and part of the lower jawbone of a porpoise are part of a hoard found within a wooden box, buried in a ruined chapel on St Ninian's Isle, at Dunrossness, on Shetland between 750 and 825.

The illustrated objects show a spoon and pronged utensil, probably both eating utensils, a sword pommel, three mounts of unknown purpose, two highly decorated scabbard chapes (fittings to strengthen the base of scabbards), and the porpoise jawbone.

The St Ninian's Isle hoard contained eight silver bowls, 12 silver brooches, and the objects illustrated here. They probably belonged to a Pictish chief who buried his precious objects for safekeeping, perhaps at a time of danger such as a Viking raid.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-000-977-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.FC 296
• Date: 8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  8th century
  Between 750 and 825
  
• Material: Bone, porpoise; stained green; teeth missing
  Of cocked hat form; with cast decoration in chip carved technique of interlaced animals filling six panels
  Silver
  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
  Silver gilt; conical; perforated above base; covered with fine decoration of engraved spirals and coils; disc detached from base
  Silver gilt; conical; perforated just above base; four chip carved panels within arched frames; disc with a pair of semicircular slots detached from base
  Silver gilt; conical; with a small tube above the base; covered all over with symmetrically arranged animal interlace in chip carving; base filled with a thin damaged disc with two small parallel rectangular slots
  Silver; one-pronged, claw-like, widening into a rounded projection below curved tip; stem perforated for a suspension ring, part of which remains; engraved interlace design on both faces
  Silver; rod-like stem curled into a loop; pointed tip of shallow bowl curves upward; junction of stem and bowl has a cast dog's head with blue glass eyes
  Silver; zoomorphic terminals, the heads decorated with spirals, fluted snouts and protruding tongues, glass insets for eyes; curved band on one side with deep hatching forming multiple triangles, the other having two panels in chip-carving technique separ
  Implement
  Jaw, porpoise's / portion
  Mount
  Mount
  Mount
  Nail
  Pommel
  Scabbard chape
  Scabbard chape
  Spoon
  
• Dimensions: 1.15" L
  1.50" H; perforated 0.45" above base
  1.60" H
  1.75" H x 1.45" D; tube 0.40" above base
  2.15" L
  3.15" max W
  3.20" max W
  6.60" L
  8.10" L
  8.50" L
  
• What: Implement
  Jaw, porpoise's / portion
  Mount
  Mount
  Mount
  Nail
  Pommel
  Scabbard chape
  Scabbard chape
  Spoon
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  Scotland, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle
  
• Event:
• Description: Spoon of silver with a cast dog's head with blue glass eyes at the junction of stem and bowl, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  One-pronged implement of silver, decorated on both faces with an engraved design of interlace, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  Pommel of cocked hat form with cast decoration in chip-carved technique of interlaced animals filling six panels, from St Ninian's Isle, Shetland
  Loose silver nail found in a pommel, from St Ninian's Isle, Shetland, Pictish, 8th century
  Conical silver-gilt mount decorated with symmetrically arranged animal interlace, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  Conical mount of silver-gilt with four panels of interlace and animal decoration, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  Conical mount of silver-gilt with fine all-over decoration of engraved spirals and coils, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  Silver scabbard chape with Latin inscriptions, animals and fish, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  Scabbard chape of silver with zoomorphic terminals with glass insets for eyes, from St Ninian's Isle, Pictish, 8th century
  Right half of the lower jaw of a porpoise, stained green, found at St Ninian's Isle with a Pictish hoard, 8th century
  
• References:
  • Small, A., Thomas, C., and Wilson, D.M. St. Ninian's Isle and its treasure. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1973, vol. 1, pp 58-66, 80. 
  • Youngs, Susan (ed). 'The Work of Angels'. Masterpieces of Celtic metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD. London: British Museums Publications Ltd, 1989, p. 108-10. 
• Translations:
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