Scotland in Pagan Times; The Iron AgeAnderson, Joseph
History
Scotland in Pagan Times; The Iron Age
Anderson, Joseph
Scotland -- Antiquities
An armlet of similar character was ploughed up in a field on the farm of
Mains of Auchenbadie, on the estate of Montblairy, in Banffshire, in
1866, and is now in the National Museum. Seen in front (as in Fig. 118)
it is penannular and oval in shape, measuring 6½ inches in its longest
diameter, and 4 inches from front to back. Its width across the middle
of the back (where it is narrowest) is 3¾ inches, and its greatest width
across the terminal expansion is 5⅜ inches. [Illustration: Fig.
119.—Bronze Armlet found at Auchenbadie, Banffshire. Back view (6½
inches in diameter).] Its weight is 3 lbs. 9 oz. Like those already
described, it is a solid casting of bronze, having its exterior surface
(Fig. 119) divided longitudinally into three bands—convex exteriorly,
concave interiorly—the middle band stopping short at the circular
aperture in the centre of the terminal expansion, the others passing
round it and uniting at the completion of the circle. [Illustration:
Fig. 120.—Plan of Ornamentation of Bronze Armlet found at Auchenbadie,
Banffshire.] A boldly chased pattern of zig-zag ornament lies in the
furrow between each contiguous pair of bands, and along the slightly
depressed furrow at the edges of the outer bands. The convexity of the
exterior surfaces of the bands is studded at equal intervals with bold
projections nearly an inch in length, placed transversely across the
ridges, and standing in rows from side to side of the armlet. From the
outer edges of each of these to the inner edge of the next a slightly
curved and highly raised projection passes obliquely across the ridge,
those on the two outer ridges running parallel to each other, and those
on the central ridge in the reverse direction. The circular spaces in
the terminal expansions (shown in Fig. 118) have lost their enamelled
plates, but the traces remain of the pins and fastenings by which they
were secured in their places. The accompanying plan in outline (Fig.
120) of the form and ornamentation of the armlet, shown as it would
appear if completely flattened out and seen from above, will render
these details more intelligible. From this it appears that the system of
arrangement of the members of the ornament is that of the escaping
double spiral, while the solid forms of the projecting masses are
bounded and outlined by curves of the same formation.
[Illustration: Fig. 121.—Bronze Armlet found at Drumside, Belhelvie,
Aberdeenshire. Front view, seen sideways (4½ inches in diameter).]
[Illustration: Fig. 122.—Bronze Armlet found at Drumside, Belhelvie,
Aberdeenshire. Back view (4½ inches in diameter).]
[Illustration: Fig. 123.—Plan of the Ornamentation of Bronze Armlet
found at Drumside, Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire.]
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