This tiny medieval gold brooch's origin, history and significance remain elusive, but here is what we do know.
The brooch was found by metal detectorist Mr G. Greig in a ploughed field near Kildrummy Castle in the early 1990s. It was reported and claimed as Treasure Trove and acquired by Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums in 1993. The find was first mentioned in print by Mike Cuddeford in the metal detecting magazine The Searcher in 1991, as "etched out of gold, and plain at its reverse side", and in 1994 it made the cover of the same magazine.
Kildrummy Castle by John Phillip
The central part of the annular brooch, measuring 2 mm in thickness, is in the shape of a dagger which was meant for the practical purpose of fastening the tunics. The pattern resembles that of a leaf carved irregularly on a gold surface. Medieval ring brooches were often carved out of poor-quality metals and were only occasionally made from silver or gold like this one. They were designed with minimal artistry, often carrying similar features and patterns, with more exquisite designs likely reserved for special occasions. According to conclusions drawn from findings of similar brooches in Scotland and England, the brooch might have been worn on a child’s plaid, which is one of its most common usages. Perhaps it even was lost by a child living in Kildrummy Castle, home to the Earls of Mar, some 700 years ago.
The exact age of the brooch is unknown. The castle itself dates from the mid-1200s, but according to correspondence between Mr. G. Greig and Mike Cuddeford, the field where it was found had produced hammered coins ranging from the time of Edward I and Robert the Bruce to the later Elizabethan era. Having been a common piece in the medieval wardrobe, the usage of brooches declined after the late 1300s, however, as a result of the increasingly popular tailored clothes that no longer required a brooch to fasten the fabrics. It is therefore highly likely that the brooch stems from the mid-1200s to mid-1300s.
There is much left to learn about finds like the Kildrummy brooch, and now is the perfect time to delve into Scotland’s past. Throughout September Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums celebrates Scottish Archaeology Month by highlighting the remarkable artefacts and rich heritage that Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have to offer.
Blog by Yashasvi Jingar (University of Aberdeen student placement volunteer)
Yashasvi is a master’s student in Cultural Heritage at University of Aberdeen. She has a background in Archaeology and Museum Studies. For a part of her dissertation, she is researching the textile and leather from medieval Aberdeen in the archaeology collection of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums.
