Cambusmichael

NO13SW 147 12 32

Early medieval metalworK

Metal detecting by Mr J McGarry recovered two fragments of early medieval metalwork of 8th/9th-century date. Most readily identifiable is approximately half of a penannular copper-alloy brooch. Diam 50.1mm; Th 3.1mm; Wt 7.92g. The single surviving expanded round terminal has three lobes. Each lobe takes the form of an animal/bird head, facing inwards towards a central boss. Connecting the terminal to the loop of the brooch is a cusp; like the half-surviving panel at the top of the hoop, this is empty of any settings but traces of decoration survive. In the cusp this appears to be a triangular motif with an animal-headed strand of interlace. The hoop panel is indistinct. There is an array of features - the hoop panel, the cusp, the terminal and the animal-headed lobes - that link this fragment to the silver, gold filigree and glass penannular brooch from Clunie Castle, near Dunkeld. Though made of copper alloy, the Cambusmichael brooch may have looked very similar to the Clunie brooch when new: a shiny black patina with traces of a silver bright finish was analysed using XRF (courtesy of the NMS) and found to be tinning.

The second fragment of metalwork is an enamelled copper-alloy mount. Diam 22.4 x 23.4mm; Th 2.9mm; Wt 4.75g. It is composed of a central round cell surrounded by eight smaller round cells. All the cells were enamelled; the decayed colour is pale yellow. Equally spaced around the circumference are the traces of four projecting spurs, suggesting that this may well be a cruciform mount from a piece of horse harness. On the otherwise plain back there is a very faint trace of a filed-off lug or fastening, suggesting that the mount may have been reused as a cruciform pendant. The mount is indicative of the traffic on this important routeway between Scone/St Andrews and Dunkeld and between Scone/St Andrews and various places in Strathmore, including Meigle. Claimed as Treasure Trove (TT 08/04) and allocated to Perth Museum.

M Hall and J Shiels 2004