Summary

Trial design on a re-used roof slate, with an incised knotwork square, from St Blane's, Bute, 800 - 1000 AD

Accession Number

X.GQ 49

Other references

Original description

ST. BLANE'S, BUTE. Piece of roofing-slate, 5 3/4" x 4 1/4", with large oblong pin-hole & an incised knot-work square of 1 3/4". [MoS description] Melting rocks, forging metal. Decorating metal - tools and skills. Practice pieces. (8) Trial design on re-used roofin slate, St Blane's. 800 - 1000 AD. [Scran caption] This piece of slate was found at St Blane's on Bute in the Inner Hebrides. The re-used roofing slate has been etched with a design, presumably by a craftsman using it as a motif piece. The slate dates from between 800 and 1000. The design is an intricate knotwork square, similar to designs known from manuscript illustrations, stone sculptures and quality metalwork such as brooches. Slate has long been used as trial pieces for experimental work, both drawings and writing. A number of pieces of slate were recovered at St Blane's, some covered with crude graffiti, others, like this one, with more accomplished attempts. Date: Between 800 and 1000. Material: Stone (slate). Dimensions: Length: 14.6 cm; Width: 10.8 cm.

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)

St Blane's, Isle of Bute, Buteshire, Scotland, Northern Europe

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1900

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Marquess of Bute

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Donor

Image