Summary

Incomplete silver penannular brooch, pin missing, with plain terminals and twisted hoop, now broken into two pieces joined by a repair sleeve, from Norrie's Law, Fife, 500 - 700 AD

Accession Number

X.FC 37

Other references

Original description

PERSONAL ORNAMENTS, &C. Massive Brooch of solid silver, 5 in. diameter. Norrie's Law, near Largo, Fifeshire. Alice Blackwell note, 20.04.2015: Fragmentary silver penannular brooch with plain terminals and twisted hoop, now broken into two pieces joined by a silver repair sleeve. This repair has shortened the circumference of the brooch and the terminal edges are no longer parallel. The hoop is less tightly twisted and significantly more worn that the second penannular similar brooch from Norrie's Law (x.FC 36). Casting flaws are apparent on the ‘front’ right terminal, visible as small bubbles. Cracks are visible in the surface of ‘back’ of both terminals, and an area of different coloured metal on both faces of one terminal is suggestive of a further repair or reinforcement at some point. There is a small patch of toolmarks on the ‘back’ of one terminal at the point of transition into the hoop. There are two sample holes made c.1970s by McKerrell (D c.1.5mm), one in the broken surface of hoop adjacent to repair sleeve, the other in an intact area of the other portion of the hoop.

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

Durham, James, General, 1754 - 1840
Buist, George, 1805 - 1860

Discovery / field collection

Date of discovery

1819

Method (e.g. excavation)

Chance discovery

Place (i.e. location of discovery)

Norrie's Law, Largo, Fife, Scotland, Northern Europe

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1864

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Mrs Dundas Durham

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Donor

Image