MHG11788 - Tortoise (Oval) Brooch, urn; Ospisdale House

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

  • CREMATION? (Norse - 800 AD to 1300 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Norse - 800 AD to 1300 AD)

Protected Status

  • None recorded

Full Description

NH78NW 10 7185 8968.
Norse Tortoise Brooch found 1830 (NAT) OS 1:10,000 (1973)

The Ospisdale Brooch was found in 1830 during the making of a farm road about 300 yards NE of Clach a' Charra (NH78NW 1).
Name Book 1874; Information contained in letter from J M Joass to OS, 8 April 1874.

The brooch is in the possession of Mrs Gilchrist, Ospisdale House.
J Anderson 1875.

The brooch, a grave find, was in the possession of Captain and Mrs Lyon, Ospisdale House, in 1925. The outer shell is damaged and inner shell has been flattened by a powerful blow from above. It was found with the remains of an urn, possibly a steatite vessel, which was subsequently lost.
S Grieg 1940.

The brooch purchased for NMAS 1933 (IL337).
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1933.

The association of fragment of steatite bowl with brooch is uncertain. The steatite fragment was recently presented to Perth Museum. (EK 43).
A O Curle, M Olsen and H Shetelig 1954.

No further information. Visited by OS (W D J) 5 June 1963.

Black and white photographs of the oval brooch are pictured on the Dornoch Historylinks Image Library website (Nos. 5702-5703). See links below. <1>

The vessel and the oval brooch are on loan from the NMS (Acc. Nos. EK 43, IL 377) to Historylinks. <2>

Sources/Archives (7)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred NH 7184 8967 (6m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet NH78NW
Geographical Area SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish CREICH

Finds (2)

  • BROOCH (Norse - 800 AD? to 1300 AD?)
  • VESSEL (Norse - 800 AD? to 1300 AD?)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (3)

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