The Monymusk Reliquary

Description

Monymusk Reliquary consisting of a rectangular casket and lid in the form of a roof, made from wood, copper alloy, silver, enamel and blue glass, decorated with intertwined animals, and possibly once containing a relic of St Columba, from around the 8th century AD

Museum reference

H.KE 14

Collection

Archaeology

Object name

Reliquary

Production information

Scotland, Northern Europe

Date

8th century

Materials

Yew, Copper alloy, Silver, Gilt copper alloy, Glass, Enamel

Physical description

Bronze, silver, wood, copper alloy, glass, enamel

Associations

Saint Columba
Grant of Monymusk
Abbot Bernard de Linton
Monymusk, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Northern Europe
Arbroath, Angus, Scotland, Northern Europe

Exhibitions

• Celts (10 Mar 2016 - 25 Sep 2016)
  National Museum of Scotland

• Celts: Art and Identity (24 Sep 2015 - 31 Jan 2016)
  British Museum

References

Caldwell, D.H. (ed), Angels Nobles and Unicorns: Art and Patronage in Medieval Scotland, Edinburgh: NMS, 1982

Youngs, Susan (ed), 'The Work of Angels'. Masterpieces of Celtic metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD, London: British Museums Publications Ltd, 1989, pp 134-5

Calder, Jenni, The Wealth of a Nation, Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland and Glasgow: Richard Drew Publishing, 1989, pp 26, 74

Links to other web pages

Canmore Site Record

On display

national museum of scotland »
level 1 »
scotland galleries »
kingdom of the scots »
scotland defined

Credit

Acquired with the aid of the Art Fund