Drawing of three artefacts, highly elaborate in form and decoration; two of which are possibly part of the same object.
SC 876487
Description Drawing of three artefacts, highly elaborate in form and decoration; two of which are possibly part of the same object.
Date c. 1895 to 1920
Collection Papers of John Nicolson, antiquarian, Keiss, Caithness, Scotland
Catalogue Number SC 876487
Category On-line Digital Images
Scope and Content Watercolour of two decorated discs, possibly spindle whorls, from Caithness, Highland Caithness, the most northerly county in mainland Britain, is incredibly rich in archaeological sites including chambered cairns, cists, brochs, Pictish stones, Viking settlements and medieval castles. Between c.1890-1920, this area saw considerable archaeological investigation, particularly by a local factor, John Nicolson (1843-1934) and an estate owner Sir Francis Tress Barry (1825-1907). This watercolour by Nicolson shows two stone or bone objects, one of which is broken in half. Both are decorated and shaped. It is possible that they are spindle whorls used in textile production. There are no notes with this drawing so the origin of these objects is a mystery. However, Barry and Nicolson excavated numerous sites in north-east Caithness, particularly brochs, and it is likely that these objects were recovered during these activities. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.
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