Summary

Cast of the carvings of the dragon, walrus, serpent, knotwork, Maes Howe, Stenness, Orkney, made by NMAS Conservation Laboratory, 1973

Accession Number

X.IB 310

Other references

None

Original description

Cast of the carvings of the dragon, walrus, serpent, knotwork, Maes Howe, Orkney (formerly wrongly assigned IL 751). Made in 1973 by NMAS Conservation Laboratory. T. Cowie note, 2005-01-25: Cast of three designs carved by Norsemen on the wall of the Neolithic chambered cairn of Maes Howe. The beast at the top may be a lion, and the animal in the centre a walrus; the interlaced pattern at the bottom is partly worn away. These carvings probably date to the 12th century AD, when Norsemen broke into the tomb through the roof and carved a number of runic inscriptions on the walls. The cast was made by the NMAS Conservation Laboratory in 1973 (Source: text of label which accompanied cast on display in Findlay Building). Trevor Cowie note, 31 July 2015: see also X.2014.395.1-2 (= X.IB 369.1-2)

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)

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1973

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, Conservation

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Not recorded

Image

None