Summary

Food vessel with impressed zigzag lines, from Balcalk, Tealing, Angus

Accession Number

X.EQ 218

Other references

Original description

COLLECTIONS FROM SEPULCHRAL DEPOSITS: Urn, 5 1/2 x 6 1/8 in., with impressed zigzag lines, from Balcalk, Tealing, Forfarshire. Trevor Cowie notes, 7 January 2013: the grave group comprising food vessel, jet necklace, flint knife and bronze awl (X.EQ 218-221) was presented in 1891 by the Right Hon. the Earl Of Home, through Robert Strathern, W.S., F.S.A. Scot. The objects were found by Mr John Sturrock, F.S.A. Scot., in a cist at Balcalk, near Tealing, Forfarshire, in 1880, as described in PSAS 14, p. 260. On Sturrock's death in 1889, his collection of antiquities, was advertised for sale in Dowell's auction rooms, Edinburgh, with the objects from Balcalk figuring prominently in the sale catalogue. The Earl of Home, proprietor of the lands from which these articles had been removed by Mr Sturrock, presented a petition in the Court of Session for interdict to prevent their sale as advertised, with the result that the Crown intervened, and the Treasury, having assumed possession of the objects in dispute, made compensation to Mr Sturrock's trustees, and waived its claim to the articles in favour of the Earl of Home, on condition of his presenting them to the National Museum of Antiquities. For summary details of this dispute, see notice of donation in PSAS 25 (1890-91), 64-65; see also: Anon 'Interesting Antiquarian Case' in The Architect, 42 (25 October) (1889), 241-242; Murray, D An Archaeological Survey of the United Kingdom The Preservation and Protection of our Ancient Monuments, Glasgow, 1896, 65.

Associated person/people (e.g. excavator/former collection)

None

Discovery / field collection

Date of discovery

Not recorded

Method (e.g. excavation)

Not recorded

Place (i.e. location of discovery)

Balcalk, Tealing, Angus, Scotland, Northern Europe

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1891

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Earl of Home

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Donor

Image