Four decorated antler mounts and a stone 'egg' amulet from Bu Sands, Burray, Orkney

Fraser Hunter (Author)


Keywords:
Stone Egg Amulet
Period(s):
Roman, Late Roman, Fourth Century Ad

Abstract


Four decorated antler mounts found at Bu Sands in 1990 are described. Relevant parallels are studied, from which a Roman or early Anglo--Saxon date is proposed, with manufacture in southern Britain. Consideration of the evidence for Orcadian contacts at this time suggests a late Roman date is most likely and that the mounts ornamented a box which arrived in Orkney as a prestige gift in the third or fourth century AD. An Appendix (331--3) describes a find of a stone `egg' amulet of the first few centuries AD from the same site and discusses similar amulets.

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Published
30-11-1994
How to Cite
Hunter, F. (1994). Four decorated antler mounts and a stone ’egg’ amulet from Bu Sands, Burray, Orkney. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 123, 319–336. https://doi.org/10.9750/PSAS.123.319.336
Section
Articles