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Mid-Argyll - 18
Brooch Moulds

Site/Artefact Brooch Moulds Type Stone Moulds Site Number National Grid Reference 1837 East 6935 North Map ( 1:25000) Ordnance Survey Explorer No 358 List of Sites and Artefacts Click Here Interactive Map Click Here

Bird-headed brooch-mould from Dunadd  Replica of the product of such a mould

Excavation Details
Not Available

Description
Much evidence of metalworking has been found at Dunadd, including more than 200 crucibles. Among the evidence of wealth and high-status goods used and produced at this power centre is a collection of dozens of fragments of brooch moulds. Most of these moulds would have produced modest, but nevertheless luxurious jewellery, such as seventh century bird-headed brooches

But a few fragments show that much larger and more magniifcent pieces were produced.

The moulds can be dated, by stratigraphy, to the seventh century - a date rather earlier than that conventionally ascribed to the beginning of the production of large brooches.

The significance of these mould-fragments, not very impressive at first sight, can be better grasped when one sees the kind of ornament that they were designed to produce. With a diameter of nearly 10 cm, the mould would have produced something approximating to the somewhat larger Hunterston Brooch.

Access/Ownership
In National Museum of Scotland

References

• Allan Lane & Ewen Campbell, Dunadd: an Early Dalriadic Capital, 106 - 125

Check out the following sections of the website for related information

• Dunadd
• Dunadd's summit

Mid-Argyll Sites and Artefacts

1. Kilmory Oib  2. Druim an Dúin  3. Duntroon  4. Dún Ardifur 1  5. Eilean Rígh 1  6. Dún Chonaillach  7. Loch Awe Crannogs  8. Torran Hoard  9. Dún na Nighinne 10. Kilmartin Parish Church 11. Temple Wood Stone Circles 12. Ogham stone, Poltalloch 13. Barnakil Cross 14. Kilbride Chapel 15. Kilbride Crosses 16. Dunadd Fort 17. In Nomine disk 18. Brooch Moulds 19. Dunadd cross-marked quern 20. Loch Glashan Crannog 21. Glebe Cairn

22. Nether Largie North 23. Nether Largie Mid 24. Nether Largie South 25. Ri Cruin 26. Nether Largie 27. Ballymeanoch - Stones 28. Ballymeanoch - Henge 29. Ballymeanoch - Cairn 30. Dunchragaig 31. Baluachraig 32. Carnassarie Castle 33. BallymeanocH - Barrow 34. Dun Mac Samhainn 35. Glenmoine, Upper Largie 36. Creag a' Mhadaidh 37. Carnassarie - Round Cairn 38. Carnasserie - Standing Stones 39. Carnasserie - Cist 40. Carnasserie Cottage 41. Upper Largie - Cist 42. Upper Largie - Rock Carvings

43. Nether Largie 44. Poltalloch - Cist 45. Poltalloch - cists 46. Bruach an Druimein 47. Dunchraigaig - Dun 48. Poltalloch - Round Cairn 49. Rownfield - Cist 50. Ballymeanoch - Cist 51. Poltalloch - Cists 52. Ballymeanoch - Dun 53. Dunadd - Standing Stones 54. Dunadd - Standing Stone 55. Baile Mor - Dun 56. Anaskeog - Rock Carvings 57. Bariole 58. Rhudil - Round Cairn 1 59. Rhudil - Round Cairn 2 60. Kilmartin Castle 61. Slockavullin 62. Rowanfield - Standing Stone 63. Poltalloch - Cremation

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