Notice of a remarkable bronze ornament with horns, found in Galloway, now at Abbotsford : also of a bronze ornament like a "swines head," found in Banffshire / by John Alexander Smith.

Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notice of a remarkable bronze ornament with horns, found in Galloway, now at Abbotsford : also of a bronze ornament like a "swines head," found in Banffshire / by John Alexander Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    7/36 page 7
    perfect horn measures along its curves, in total length, including the tip, 16| inches—the ornamental tip heing 1| inch in length ; the imper- fect horn is 14 inches long. Each horn measures If inches in diameter at the base, and tapers upwards to an extremity a quarter of an inch in diameter. They measure each about 8| inches to the top of the curve, and 5 inches across the curve at the upper part; and the horns together measure 3 inches across their base, and separate above to a width of 13J inches, measured across both horns. (See Plates XLIV. and XLV.) A narrow band, or border of bronze, ornamented with short trans- verse lines on its inner margin, has been riveted all round the edge of the bronze, only some portions of which remain; and at the lower angles of the bronze, on the inside, at each extremity of the straight lower border, there are two small bronze pins, one on the lower border, the other on the lateral border or margin, and about |^ths of an inch apart, which project inwards on each side, and suggest the probability of their having been used for attaching something to the lower part of the bronze —at least they seem to be quite distinct from the small nails by which the border is fastened to the edge of the bronze. (See Plate XLV. fig. 4.) The style of the ornament of this bronze is of peculiar interest, and is well shown in the accompanying plates, which render more detailed description unnecessary. Its prevailing character consists of these beauti- ful and graceful scrolls; some of the smaller ornamental details on the perfect horn suggest, however, a resemblance to the meander or Greek fret, which belongs probably to a later date than the general style of the other ornaments. The bronze seems undoubtedly to belong to the beautiful class of relics which Mr Franks has grouped together in the Horaj Ferales' ascon- ' Horto Ferales, or Studies in the Archroology of tlio Northern Nations. By the late John-M. Kemblo, M.A., Ac. Kdited by R. G. Latlmm, M.D.. and A. W. FrnnkH, M.A., &c. 4to. London. 18().>.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3