Archaeology Notes

Event ID 645135

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/645135

HY41SW 18 c. 44 10.

A Roman trumpet brooch found at 'Bishop's Castle, Orkney' was exhibited in 1872 by A G Geoghan at a meeting of the Royal British Archaeological. Institute. (anon, J Archaeol Inst). The site may refer to Kirkwall or possibly to Birsay. There is no further information relating to this find.

G Macdonald 1932.

On April 5, 1872, Mr A G Geoghegan exhibited to the Royal Arch Institute 'a bronze spear-head; A Roman fibula; a boss, or personal ornament, found at Bishop's Castle, Orkney .... The boss is of silver, ornamented with the rose and thistle in high relief; it was probably an ornament for a leathern belt or shield ... It was found in the ruins of the 'Bishop's Castle', under a heap of stones, at Kirkwall, Orkney'.

Archaeol J 1872.

2nd century AD Trumpet brooch from the Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall, now in National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS).

A S Robertson 1970.

Medieval finger ring HY 44 10 Large gold finger ring originally intended to hold an unshaped gemstone, now missing. The rudimentary nature of medieval gem cutting meant that a ring was often designed around an existing uncut gem rather than the gem being cut to fit the bezel. In general appearance and method of construction the Kirkwall ring can be paralleled with a wider class of European finger rings of the 13th and 14th centuries, although a useful Scottish parallel

is a similar ring from the Meal Vennel and Scott Street excavations in Perth (PSAS 1997).

Claimed as Treasure Trove (TT.11/05) and allocated to Orkney Museum.

S Campbell 2005