Picts at Gaulcross

A silver pin, with crescent head, decorated with 3 swirls and 3 discs on top, inlaid with red enamel. This is a similar design to others found, including at Norries Law, in Fife.

Gaulcross lies in the parish of Fordyce, in the historic county of Banffshire.

In 2013, archaeologists returned to the site, and fortunately the clearance hadn't been totally efficient and about a hundred silver objects were found.

The 2013 finds represent a much wider selection of about one hundred pieces, although few perhaps as complete as the three original items. Chopped up bits and parts of larger objects, the most complete objects are;

A crescent shaped item with a double loops at each end for joining to something. This is decorated with with simple circles on one face.

Two pierced hemispheres, one with a fluted design.

Most of the other items are hacked up, or clipped in the case of a number of late Roman silver coins.

A silver chain, of double loops, much lighter than other silver chains found in Pictish sites

In 1837 the new tenant of Leys Farm, began clearing fields at Gaulcross. This included the destruction of a pair of stone circles, each of which was said to have had six standing stones.

During this clearance a hoard of silver objects was found, including pins and brooches, most were not recorded and have since disappeared without trace. Three items were given to the Museum of the Banff Institution by the landowner Sir Robert Abercromby . The objects are now in the National Museum of Scotland collection. In 1867 J Stuart, published Sculptured Stones of Scotland Vol 2, in which included drawings of the items.

And a silver armlet, which is a single piece curled around, like an orange peel.

sources

photos - my own from National Museum of Scotland

Sculptured Stones of Scotland Vol 2, by J Stuart, published 1867

Report on Stone Circles surveyed in the North-East of Scotland, chiefly in Banffshire, with measured Plans and Drawings, obtained under the Gunning Fellowship. (1906). - Frederick R Coles . Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 40, 164-206.

Aberdeenshire Council Historic Environment Record (online)

The Gaulcross hoard of Pictish silver. (1966) - Robert B K Stevenson, John Emery. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 97, 206-211. (online)

(Re)Discovering the Gaulcross Hoard - Gordon Noble, Martin Goldberg, Alistair McPherson, Oskar Sveinbjarnarson. Published British Archaeology July/August 2015 and Cambridge University Press 17 May 2016 (online)

trove.scot (online)

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