Archaeology Notes

Event ID 674429

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/674429

NM70NE 10 c. 76 08

Three Ewart Park type swords were found in 1875 when digging a ditch through peat on Shuna island (NM 76 08). They were close together, sticking vertically in the peat, points downwards, as though deliberately thrust in forming a votive hoard (Scott 1966) and not casually lost. They date from the 8th century BC. One was donated to the NMAS (Accession no: DL 21), another to Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum, and the third to St Andrews Museum.

J M Coles 1962; J G Scott 1966.

Mr Thomson, who donated the sword to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS), came from this Shuna island, so the swords more probably came from here, rather than the Shuna island at NM 9149.

(Undated) information from Dr J N G Ritchie (RCAHMS).

No further information.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 21 April 1970.

All three swords are of Ewart Park type (Northern step 2).

494. Sword, length 64.2cm, terminal width 4.1cm, shoulder width 5.25cm, maximum blade width 4.75cm; good condition but surface corroded, dark khaki patina; rivets 2:2, none in situ. Glasgow, Kelvingrove Mus. GAGM 74-28a.

505. Sword, length 60.2cm; terminal width 4.4cm, shoulder width 5.3cm, maximum blade width 4.5cm; well cast, few small notches on edge. Mid khaki patina with black encrustation on top of blade and at butt; rivets, 2:3 (+ 3 bl). St Andrews University Museum, 1977.1984.

507. Sword, missing top of hilt. Length 53.8cm, shoulder width 5.15cm, maximum blade width 3.9cm; dark khaki patina, well cast sword; rivets 1 (?2):2 (+4 bl). NMAS DL 21.

C B Burgess and I Colquhoun 1988.