The Galloway Hoard may have left Kirkcudbright but it is continuing to give up its secrets.
An exhibition of items from the £2 million discovery recently left Kirkcudbright Galleries and has now gone on display in Aberdeen.
And it features images of three newly revealed gold filigree objects – known as aestels – which were bound together with rare silk braids.
The items were wrapped in a textile bundle that was too fragile to display but is currently being investigated in Edinburgh.
The new display also features insights into the rich variety of textiles in the hoard, with researchers from the University of Glasgow identifying as many as 12 different materials.
Director of National Museums Scotland Dr Chris Breward said: “The Galloway Hoard has repeatedly drawn international attention, on its discovery and its acquisition by National Museums Scotland as well as through the fascinating discoveries made since through our programme of research.
“The exhibition is a fabulous opportunity to see the hoard far more clearly than before and to gain an insight into the amazingly detailed work that we have done and are continuing to do in order that we can understand it more fully.”
The aestels are believed to be instruments which were previously thought to hold a piece of bone or wood and be used as a pointer to follow text when reading.
This is the first time that a group of these gold objects have been found together and the associated textiles provide new clues to what they were used for.
The presence of braided silk within the sockets on the gold objects shows that they were all connected and this new evidence casts doubt on the previous categorisation. Further research will be carried out on their true purpose and usage.
Although it has now left, a deal between National Museums Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council means a “significant and representative” selection will go on permanent display in the future.
