Pin

Description

Miniature incomplete silver handpin with fields for enamel decoration on the head, from Norrie's Law, Fife, 500 - 700 AD

Museum reference

X.FC 32

Collection

Archaeology

Object name

Pin

Date

6th - 7th century
Early Medieval

Materials

Silver, Enamel

Physical description

Miniature incomplete silver handpin, surviving as head and short length of shaft. The pin head has three ‘fingers’, the middle of which has an empty field for enamel. The pin head plate is decorated with a simple design of a horizontal crescent containing a central circular field, which would have contained and been surrounded by enamel (i.e. three separate fields). Within these fields is a white-green substance and flecks of red, presumably both from decayed enamel; the finger field contains only flecks of red. The back and sides of the plate are undecorated. The undecorated pin shaft is circular in section. The broken edge of the shaft is very straight and clean, with fine parallel scratches. This, combined with two facets opposite each other at the furthermost extent of the shaft may be an indication of deliberate hacking, perhaps made by pliars or cutting tool.

Collection place(s)

Norrie's Law, Largo, Fife, Scotland, Northern Europe

Associations

Landowner: Durham, James, General, 1754 - 1840
Reporter: Buist, George, 1805 - 1860

Exhibitions

• Scotland's Early Silver (13 Oct 2017 - 25 Feb 2018)
  National Museum of Scotland

Links to other web pages

Canmore Site Record